


Partners

by CloakedTurian



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Budding Love, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-07-24 17:29:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7516985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloakedTurian/pseuds/CloakedTurian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Commander Catherine Shepard has been left frustrated in more than one aspect of her life.  Garrus, now her closest friend on the ship, hopes to help her as much as he can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Frustrations

**Author's Note:**

> [The beginning of a friendship going on romance fic for one of my Shepards and Garrus. I truly love how much these two understand each other so naturally, despite the obvious differences. This chapter is all friendship, no romance or sexual content, but the story is rated E for... eventual events. Enjoy!]

Catherine Shepard was absolutely miserable.

Ashley’s coldness on Horizon shouldn’t have affected her as much as it did, but the Commander couldn’t shake the words off. Of course she didn’t trust Cerberus, but what was Shepard supposed to do? ‘Thanks for bringing me back, but I’m refusing your help?’ Sure, the Hero of the Citadel didn’t expect Ashley to be ecstatic to find out Catherine was working with Cerberus help, but to walk away like that? It damn hurt.

She was feeling pretty pitiful, her high heels softly clanking against the Normandy’s docking bay on the Citadel, as she tugged down at her short dress. The date had been a nightmare, despite her attempts at concealing who she was. It’d been years, _literal years_ , since she had last gotten laid. Or any kind of consensual intimate contact. She wasn’t exactly desperate, but everything (i.e. Ashley hating her, Liara refusing to join her, personal missions for the crew, crew members antagonizing each other…) was keeping her on edge. Of course, Catherine Shepard was a resourceful, responsible adult. She knew how to take care of things.

But taking care of personal matters isn’t easy when an AI has a tendency to interrupt.

Shepard undid her hair from its bun, letting the long locks of black hair drop over her shoulders. While the ship made its usual decontamination scan, she removed her fancy earrings and all but ripped the bracelet off of her wrist. She groaned softly, realizing the frustrations of not having any romantic contact were probably _better_ than going on stupid dates.

The Commander knew she wasn’t a great flirt, but was she really this bad?

The Normandy was somewhat dark as she walked in. It was late, and being docked at the Citadel meant even those working the graveyard shift were getting a break. She slipped her heels off and held them in her hand, quietly making her way to the elevator and going down a floor. She softly laughed into the back of her hand when she heard Joker snoring at the helm. What a dork.

With her stocking-clad feet almost completely silent against the metal floor, she made her way to the kitchen in hopes of finding herself a drink. She’d go to the Port Observation Deck, but she really didn’t want to wake Kasumi with her wish for alcohol. Actually, maybe she should have tea instead—

“Shepard?”

The Commander almost screamed, her entire body shifting quickly as she raised her fist (which held her jewelry _and_ her shoes) to protect herself. She let out a sigh and clutched her chest with her other hand once she saw who it was. “Garrus,” she murmured, hoping she hadn’t made too much noise, “please don’t ever do that again.”

Garrus seemed amused, his body leaning over the table he sat by, his elbows propped up and his hands together. She could have sworn she could _hear_ his smirk in his voice. “I wasn’t aware you scared so easily.”

“More I have an instinct to destroy anything that tries to sneak up on me,” she replied with a slight huff, setting her jewelry on the table before setting her shoes down on the floor.

“I was sitting here, minding my own business. You’re the one that came in so quietly.”

She shot him a look, but couldn’t help letting out a soft laugh at his smug expression. “You should be a little more loyal to your Commander, Garrus. Cut her some slack.”

“I’ve always said I was a bad turian,” Garrus replied with what looked like a smile. “Go somewhere nice?”

Shepard rolled her eyes and turned away, walking towards the kitchen. “I did, but it was not worth the company.” She grabbed a bottle of wine she knew Mess Sergeant Gardner liked to use for cooking, swearing to herself she’d get him another one tomorrow. She twirled back around, a look on her face Garrus didn’t recognize. “Hence the alcohol.”

“That bad, huh.” Garrus let his chin rest on his hands. “Was he a jerk?”

“She was, yes,” Shepard replied, pouring wine into a coffee mug before coming to sit across from Garrus, next to where she had placed her things. “I thought asari were supposed to be sentimental in nature?”

Garrus chuckled, shaking his head. “Some are.” He watched her intently, still somewhat formal despite how casual she was behaving. The two of them had developed a close friendship over time, sharing stories and battle tactics, but he didn’t get to see her like this often. Not alone, at least. “How bad was it, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Shepard laughed without humor. “She fell asleep on me.”

“She _what_.”

“Yep.”

Catherine Shepard took a long swig, cupping the mug in her hands, a wry smile on her lips. “I’ve lost my touch, Vakarian. I’m going to die alone on this ship.”

“Or outside of it.”

A pause. He instantly regretted saying it, but eased slightly once the woman before her laughed so loud she placed a hand over her mouth. “That was _horrible_.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” he replied sincerely, though his eyes were amused by her reaction. “It slipped.”

Shepard laughed quietly into her mug before taking a sip, pleased by the taste of the strong wine. “Did it once, I guess it may happen again.”

While the question he had in mind wasn’t something he knew he should be asking, Garrus was eager to get away from the topic of conversation. “…Were you dating anyone while on the original Normandy?”

Shepard shook her head as she swallowed another sip, the dark orange light of the eating area soaking into her dark hair. “No,” she admitted with a shrug. “I didn’t have time. I was approached by a few, but I refused to date.”

“Wanted to keep your head clear?”

“Oh yeah,” she replied with a slight frown. “I’ve been in relationships with people fighting by my side before. I get too distracted. Sometimes I get tunnel vision and all I can focus on is keeping that one person safe.” She met his eyes, then her frown faded into a gentle smile. “I seem to be getting sentimental over all of you, though. It feels similar to that feeling. Of course, I worried about you all in the beginning; after Akuze…”

Shepard paused, a darkness familiar to the turian in her eyes, and Garrus extended his arm to her. Not for contact, but to show support. “I know.”

The woman nodded once, averting her eyes, the pain fluttering in her chest again. She pushed a lock of her hair behind an ear before continuing. “I was intent on doing everything I could to keep all of you safe.” The pain never became less; it simply became a little easier to deal with after time’s passing.

“But now it feels like more than that,” she continued, a brightness returning to her blue eyes, a look Garrus had enjoyed becoming familiar with. “Does that make sense?”

“Yes,” Garrus replied, relaxing at the expression on her face. She looked so pleasant; her hair tucked behind an ear, the brightness in her eyes, the low-level orange glow of the lights filtering onto her skin, out of her uniform and armor. He felt so at ease with her like this. It made him forget… certain things.

“I’m sorry your date didn’t go well,” he murmured quietly, his voice more like a hum, “but it’s her loss. You look lovely. And you’re Commander Shepard… so.”

The Commander suppressed a laugh as she took another sip. “Thanks,” she replied after she swallowed, “but to her credit, she didn’t know who I was.”

“Oh?” Garrus asked, raising a brow plate. “Trying to be sneaky?”

“I’m not looking for anything serious,” Shepard replied with a shrug. “So I make up names when I go on dates.”

“Who were you tonight?”

Shepard giggled, a grin on her face. “Isabella Villarreal, an opera singer from Earth.”

Garrus paused, chuckling before he was able to mention her voice. “First, I don’t believe you can sing at all. Second, did something go wrong with my translator, or did your voice change?”

Shepard crossed her legs under the table, a smug grin remaining on her face, her eyes playful. “I can too sing, and it’s a name of Spanish origin, so I said it with the appropriate accent.”

“Another human language?”

“Correct,” she said. “You should still be able to understand me because of the translator, but the quality and tones of my voice probably changed.”

“…Could you say something else?”

Shepard smiled at his curiosity. “El caballo baila debajo de la luz de las estrellas.”

“…The horse dances beneath the light of the stars?”

“Yep,” she said with a wink.

Garrus couldn’t help but laugh, his mandibles moving with the effort. “Alright, that’s probably the stupidest sentence I’ve ever heard,” he replied with his eyes meeting her gaze, “but your voice sounded… pleasant. More familiar to me, maybe. Deeper.”

“It’s a tendency I have. One of my closest friends growing up was from Latin America, where Spanish is prevalent. We spoke Spanish together often.”

“I like it,” Garrus replied, enjoying this new piece of information. He liked learning all he could from his Commander, even the personal things.

“Thanks,” Shepard replied with a lovely smile. It made Garrus relax even more, his shoulders slightly slumping as he kept his eyes on the Commander, a pleasant warmth going through him.

The raven-haired soldier took her last sip from the mug before setting it down with a sigh. “Thanks for not letting me be pathetic all night, Garrus. I was going to go have a pity party.”

Garrus chuckled and shook his head. “You’ll find someone to keep you company.”

“This is nicer than all the horrible dates I’ve been on since Cerberus brought me back.” She smiled at him again, another wave of that warmth going through him. “I think I’d rather have this. For now, at least.”

“You’re always welcome to join me,” he replied, his expression like a smile. “I have a tendency to roam the Normandy when most people are in bed. Don’t need as much sleep as humans seem to.”

“I’d like that,” she replied, eyes brightening. “Thank you, Garrus.”

“Anytime, Commander.”

She stood, taking the mug she used to the sink and washing it idly. When she turned around after drying it and putting it away, she caught the turian staring intently at the items she had left on the table. “Know what they are?” she asked as she silently made her way back to him.

“No idea,” he replied. Though he hadn’t moved since she had left, it was obvious he wanted to pick the jewelry up.

“You can take a look at them, you know,” she said with a soft chuckle, taking the delicate earrings between her fingers. “I don’t own much of this stuff, though, so be careful.”

Taking her orders, he gently lifted one of the long earrings with a single gloved talon, his face coming close to the shimmering metal. “What in the world is this for?”

She outright laughed at that, going ahead and placing them on. “They’re called earrings,” she replied, taking her hair in her hands and moving it to the side. “They’re supposed to make me look nice, but I don’t think she cared. That circular thing is called a bracelet. We wear them on our wrists.”

Garrus was still intent on the earrings, his eyes fixed upon the sparkling metal. She smiled and leaned in, her face about a foot from his, so he could have a closer look. He only now noticed she had also painted her lips a deep red, which fit her quite nicely. “…What’s that human expression? Getting toyed up?”

Shepard furrowed her brows, thinking one thing first then laughing as she realized what he meant. “Getting dolled up, you mean. All dressed up?”

“Yes,” he replied, unsure why she had gotten so confused. “You put in effort. It’s a real shame she was terrible.”

“You don’t even know the half of it,” Shepard grumbled, moving away as she picked up her bracelet and put it back on for easy carrying. “I’m wearing thigh-high stockings. You probably don’t know, but they’re a _pain_ to put on.”

“I have no idea what that means,” Garrus admitted, but tried to be sympathetic. Aren’t thighs the tops of human legs? Why would she wear those? “May your efforts go to someone worthwhile.”

“Thanks,” Shepard replied with a sheepish smile. “I hope something better than a jerk asari comes around.”

Garrus laughed quietly, watching her as she picked her shoes up and began to leave. “Ah, Shepard?”

“Yes?” she asked, a smile on her lips that distracted Garrus for a second before he regained his composure.

“So… what is a horse?”


	2. No Place I'd Rather Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrus is finding himself enjoying Shepard's company more and more, so when she starts to feel down, something tells him to be there for her as much as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Ah, Garrus is realizing he's liking his Commander a little too much. And the ultimate bonus: Tali!]

Garrus was at a bit of a loss on what to do. Headshots from meters away? He was good at that. Calibrating a massive gun to a ship? He was _excellent_ at that.

Checking up on his Commander? No idea how.

After the trap on the Collector ship, Catherine Shepard came back in obvious distress. The brightness was gone from her eyes, a paranoid flicker from them at any sound above a footstep. Her shoulders were stiff, a frown permanently on her lips, her blue eyes dark and unfocused.

He hated seeing her like this, her usual playfulness fading into quiet fear. Her confidence seemed thrown as she walked through the Normandy. Garrus observed as she visited each member of the crew and ship, asking everyone how they were doing. She seemed to fool most with tight smiles and “casual” conversation, but Garrus knew better. He told her he was busy, “Can it wait for a bit? I’m in the middle of some calibrations,” making sure he had enough time to go talk to her personally.

He waited until most of the ship had stilled from the day’s events, watching as his crewmates left Dr. Chakwas after getting checked on. He quietly made his way to the elevator, worry setting in. He wasn’t the sentimental type. On top of that, he may be crossing into too-casual territory. It wasn’t often a turian Commander would accept a “mental health” talk from a subordinate.

Garrus sighed softly once he stepped out of the elevator, a metallic sound escaping him. Here goes nothing.

Catherine Shepard’s eyes snapped to the door once she heard a knock, her heart racing quickly before the reasonable part of her mind told her she needn’t be afraid at a common sound on her door. She stood from the couch and quickly made her way to the door. Shepard felt herself calm almost instantly at the sight of the turian once she opened the door. “Done with those calibrations?” she asked, turning away as she waved her hand for him to enter.

“Actually, I was wanting to talk to you privately. After you finished with speaking to everyone else, I mean.”

She didn’t turn as she replied, a furrow on her brow. He knew. She didn’t like that he knew. “Everything alright?” she asked, stepping down to the couch, plopping herself onto a cushion with a soft sigh.

“That’s what I wanted to ask you,” Garrus replied softly, coming down to join her on the opposite side of the couch area, his hip leaning against the wall by the couch. “That couldn’t have been easy.”

Shepard didn’t look up at him, her eyes distant. “Yeah.” She remained in silence for a moment, then looked up at him. The look in her eyes tugged at something within Garrus and brought a knot to his throat. “It was rough,” she replied, her lips tightening to a line.

She looked away, shaking her head. “The same damn ship trying to destroy us again.” She pulled her hair, tied up in a ponytail, over her shoulder in what seemed like an involuntary-reactionary movement. Her face fell, her arms crossing over her chest. “I thought it was going to happen again,” she murmured under her breath, her eyes closing. “I thought they would destroy the ship. _Again_.”

“Did you think you were going to die?” Garrus asked, the knot in his throat making his voice sound tense.

“Yes, but I didn’t really care about that,” Shepard responded, taking a moment before opening her eyes to look at him. “All I could think of was Joker. His face kept flashing before his eyes, his voice screaming my name before I was flushed out of the Normandy.”

Garrus took a slow, long breath at that. He had no reason why, but he had never thought of that. What had it been like during that moment? For Shepard? For Joker himself? The turian looked at his Commander with a sad look in his eyes, asking with a gesture if he could sit.

Sometimes, Shepard forgot how formal the turian was. “Of course,” she responded quickly with a nod. She crossed her arms under her chest, looking towards the floor near her bed. “I’ll be fine,” she reassured him, looking back at his face. “I always am.”

“I’m sorry that happened, Shepard,” Garrus murmured to her, the metallic sound comforting to her.

“Never a dull moment on this ship, huh?” Shepard replied, some of her tension easing away. A small smile adorned her lips, and Garrus was grateful for it. “How’d you end up staying, anyway? If I were in your shoes, I probably would’ve stayed away from a Commander intent on suicide missions.”

Garrus brightened slightly at the question, despite flashbacks of Omega coming to his mind. “Couldn’t let you do it alone, could I?”

Shepard’s smile widened, and Garrus felt that warmth come over him again, his shoulders easing as he leaned back onto the couch. “Couldn’t do it without you, Vakarian.”

His eyes softened as he watched her, his mandibles relaxing. “I’ll always have your back, Shepard. Even on your crazy missions.”

Shepard couldn’t help but smile widely at that. With Liara, Ashley, and Tali gone, the Commander hadn’t been feeling very… at home. Having Garrus here, well… it made all the difference. “It’s good to have you back, Garrus.”

The turian’s expression turned into what was closest to a smile that Shepard was familiar with. “No place I’d rather be.”

~*~

Garrus could have sworn he heard running, then turned around in surprise once he heard the door open. He blinked at the breathless woman before him, but there was something about that huge smile on her face, her eyes wide and bright, that made him laugh softly before she could even explain herself.

“We’re getting _Tali_ ,” she all but yelled, and he outright laughed at her bubbling happiness. It was good to see her like this, but then—

“ _Tali?_ ” he asked incredulously.

“ _Tali!”_

Garrus laughed at his Commander as she jumped once into the air before standing straight and formal, her chin up smugly and her eyes attempting to conceal her excitement. “Not that it matters,” she added in a snobbish tone, and while he didn’t understand the context, the sound she created by pinching her nose was incredibly entertaining.

She turned to walk out, glancing playfully behind her with a wink, before the door closed behind her and separated the two. Garrus was all but howling with laughter by the time she walked out.

That Shepard was a funny woman.

~*~

“I don’t know, Garrus,” Tali replied, crossing her arms under her chest. “I won’t ever trust Cerberus. Especially not those two idiots on the ship with us. That Jacob”

“I know. I don’t either,” he added, looking back at the quarian from his typing, “but I trust the Commander with everything I have. She won’t betray us.”

“That much I know,” Tali replied, pausing before asking teasingly, “So, you seem a lot happier than usual.”

“You should have seen Shepard before we picked you up,” he replied with a quiet chuckle, not catching the undertone of her question. “She was _beaming_.”

“Looks like the two of you have gotten closer,” Tali pressed, cocking her head to the side as she watched him.

He picked up the implication, freezing for a second before replying. “…It’s good to be back on her six.”

“I’m sure you’re enjoying the view,” Tali replied quickly, giggling at the look Garrus shot at her.

“ _Not what I was talking about_.”

“You sure?” Tali asked teasingly, her eyes narrowing joyfully behind her frosted helmet. “You two were getting quite casual with each other, even while fighting the geth.”

“We were simply excited about the prospect of having you on the crew again,” Garrus replied with a huff, his eyes sticking to the data in front of him.

“Sure,” Tali responded, standing and beginning to leave. She placed a hand on his shoulder before walking out. “It’s not insubordination, Garrus.” He tensed at her words, pausing his typing. “If it worked, I think it would be fantastic for you. Both of you.”

She slipped away silently, her words ringing in his ears. He remained still until the door closed behind him, and even after that he paused for a few seconds more.

Garrus Vakarian had a million thoughts running through his head, his mind flowing with questions and what ifs and analyses of different scenarios. Unfortunately, the one he would feel most comfortable with, the one he’d want to discuss his thoughts with, the one he _knew_ would understand—

Well, she was exactly the one he was confused about.


	3. Our Quiet Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrus is exposed to some human affection and soon realizes he'll be longing for more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [In the game, I like that FemShep's romance with Garrus seems to stem from a physical level-- of course, they're great friends naturally, and their platonic relationship is strong, but it isn't until a forward mention of sex that the romance begins. I wanted to explore in this fic what would've happened if Garrus had developed feelings for Shepard without the mention of the "reach and flexibility" conversation. How would he feel, and how would others, including Shepard, react? I haven't gotten too far yet, but here's a chapter with him realizing this "distraction" of his was getting stronger.]

“I wasn’t sure I’d find you,” Commander Shepard called softly, a mug held between her hands, her legs folded against her chest, feet planted to the edge of her seat. A small smile adorned her face as she looked at him, the soft orange light glowing off of the skin left uncovered by her shorts and socks. Her N7 hoodie kept her warm enough.

Garrus felt somewhat guilty for keeping her waiting, slowly making his way to sit across from her. “I apologize; I wanted to spend some time by engineering.”

“Don’t apologize,” she offered, taking a sip from her mug. “We don’t have a standing meeting or anything. You don’t owe me anything, at least not when we’re supposed to be asleep.”

“You seemed to be waiting for me,” he replied, watching her curiously.

“Only superficially,” she assured him. She paused, her smile widening. “I’m sure Tali enjoyed catching up with you.”

“Tali was asleep, I believe. I more wanted to be closer to the engine room. The humming is… comforting, I suppose. Constant and the same sounds over and over again.”

Shepard cocked her head to the side. “An indication that everything’s going right.”

“Exactly.” Garrus glanced at the mug in her hands, but saw no bottle out. “More wine?”

Shepard shook her head, unfolding her legs from her chest to sit cross-legged instead. “Tea. I shouldn’t be drinking alcohol often on the ship. …Probably not at all, actually.”

“I don’t think any of us would blame you if you did,” he replied, leaning in and placing his elbows on the table. “I can’t imagine a tougher job.”

“I’m sure you could. I can.”

An uncomfortable silence grew between them, and Shepard seemed to shift uncomfortably in her seat. She sighed, closing her eyes. “You seemed peaceful when I walked in,” Garrus murmured, and Shepard didn’t quite catch the reason behind the change in his subharmonics. “Would you like me to leave?”

“No,” she replied calmly, her eyes remaining closed. “Would you like me to leave?”

“No.”

Shepard smiled, then nodded as her blue eyes met his. “Okay.”

Garrus relaxed a little at her smile, watching as she took a sip of tea. He tensed once more, however, when she asked, “Are you alright?”

He paused, his brow plates coming together. “Of course. We seem closer to our goal more than ever. Sure, that brings with it some… distressing thoughts, but with the team you’ve assembled, I truly believe—“

“Garrus,” Shepard interrupted, leaning in as well now, placing her mug to the side. “Forgive this human, but I’m not asking how you feel about the mission.” She smiled, sheepish, as she leaned back. “Thanks for the turian show of support, though.”

“I meant it,” Garrus replied, surprised he felt himself relax at her smile _again_.

“I know you did,” she replied, her eyes softening. “I appreciate your faith in me.”

Garrus didn’t say anything for a moment. He liked spending time with her during these hours; her voice quiet and a little rough, her appearance slackened from Commander formality, even the way she moved her body was different. He would never separate the great Commander Shepard from the woman before him, as they were the same, of course. But there was something about _this_ Shepard, gentle-eyed and calm, messy raven hair, informal and relaxed, that made Garrus… relax too.

Realizing she seemed to be waiting for an answer, he let out a cough before focusing on her. “I’m fine,” he assured her, “just… a little distracted. Has it affected my performance on missions?”

“No,” she replied, her eyes watching his expressions. It frustrated her when she still couldn’t catch all the subtleties of turian facial movements. “You’ve been nothing but professional.” She shifted, her eyes remaining watchful of his expressions. “Forgive this human, but your emotional state is as important to me as your performance on the field.”

Garrus chuckled, appreciative. “You humans are an odd species.”

“Says the giant bird.”

They both laughed softly, both at ease again. It was an easy thing to do between them. The two naturally seemed to simply be able to… be when they were together. Garrus sighed, looking down at his hands folded on the table. “I’m sorry if I’ve worried you. I’m alright, truly. Just… figuring some things out.”

Shepard nodded, picking up her mug for another sip. “Well, Garrus, if you need anything…” she looked up at him, and he was slightly taken aback by the fondness in her eyes. “I’m here for you. Anytime.”

“Thank you, Shepard,” was all he could say.

After a pause, Garrus took a moment to glance at her body. “Aren’t you cold? You have little on.”

Shepard grinned as she picked up her mug again. “Tea helps. I’m a little cold now, but this jacket works wonders.”

“Sick of the Cerberus uniforms?” He chuckled as she scrunched her face up in disgust. “The good thing of being with a human organization means _I_ don’t have to deal with that stuff. I take it by that facial expression you don’t care for them.”

“Nope,” Shepard replied. “And with everything so different now… Well, its nice to have something I’m familiar with.”

“I’m well aware things are very different for you, but do you mean anything specifically?”

Shepard looked away for a moment, frowning again. She seemed suddenly upset, and he kicked himself mentally at ruining the lovely smile that had just been removed. “My body is different, Garrus,” she murmured, her eyes remaining averted. “Sometimes I wake up and my mind doesn’t understand this body is _mine_. Sometimes—“ Shepard cut herself off, returning her gaze to the turian. “Sorry, you don’t need to listen to my dumb woes. You have enough of your own.”

Garrus leaned his chin on his hands, propped up on his elbows, his gaze focused on her face. “It’s our quiet time, Shepard. I may not be the most qualified, but I’d like to listen if you’re willing to talk.”

Shepard hugged her knees to her chest, like she had been doing when he walked in. She didn’t look at him, her gaze unfocused again, though his words comforted her enough for her to explain. “Sometimes I feel like a monster, Garrus,” she mumbled, her voice low as she looked down at her knees. “These aren’t my legs. Not my arms, hands, feet, shoulders, anything. When I met Jacob for the first time, he said… Well, he said I had only been ‘meat and tubes’ when I was brought in.”

Garrus cringed at the words. He knew it had to have been bad, but that image… is not one he wanted to think about.

“I have new scars, but I guess I’m prettier now,” she mumbled, rubbing a finger over the top of one of her knees. “The old ones are gone.”

“Did you have many?”

“Yeah,” she replied quietly. “I had one across my stomach from Akuze.”

“…You sure you don’t want me to refill that mug with wine?”

Shepard laughed quietly, looking up at him with a soft smile. He had a way at removing that darkness from her mind. It was as if he knew exactly what she needed; how to open a window for the sun to flood in when she was drowning in darkness. “I’m alright, thanks. Talking helps.”

She sat in silence, her mind deep in thought, before she stood purposefully. Without a word, she walked around the table, sitting down right next to Garrus instead of remaining across from him.

“…So what you’re saying is, you like scars?” Garrus asked after a long moment, moving his brow plates up and down as he had seen humans do. It had the desired effect, Shepard giggling as she clasped a hand over her mouth to remain quiet.

After they both calmed their laughter, Shepard leaned over and rested her head on the turian’s arms, eyes closing as she let out a small hum of contentment. Unsure how to respond, Garrus himself closed his eyes and simply let it be. He didn’t understand human forms of affection, but he could recognize this one. It seemed harmless.

“I see you haven’t lost your quick wit, Vakarian,” Garrus heard the Commander murmur quietly.

“I aim to please,” he responded, matching her soft tone. “…I didn’t mean to derail you,” Garrus added, another odd tone in his subharmonics. “It’s a difficult topic, but if you like, I’d be happy to listen.”

“I think I’ve plagued you enough for one night,” Shepard replied, moving away from Garrus as she sat up for a long stretch. Curious, the turian kept his gaze on her as her back arched and her arms extended out. How were humans that flexible?

“Off to bed then?” he asked, his eyes darting away once she had finished a rather large yawn.

“I think so,” Shepard replied. He chuckled softly as she looked over at him with a sleepy, sheepish smile. “I didn’t mean to make this conversation about me.”

Garrus chose his words carefully then, avoiding the Commander’s gaze, hoping she wouldn’t pick up on why he may seem uncomfortable. “I wanted to talk to you,” he concluded, “but I didn’t want to talk about me.” He looked over at her, happy to see that smile again. “So, as you said, ‘Talking helps.’”

“Then maybe you should stop calibrating every second of the day,” she replied playfully, her hands then coming to tie her hair into a messy bun at the nape of her neck. “I’m a lot more coherent during the day.”

“Which is why I prefer at night,” he replied, leaning back against his seat. He watched her turn, a look of confusion on her face. “You’re more open during these hours,” he explained, a lighter tone to his voice. “You’re relaxed and calm, willing to talk about yourself more. It’s… nice.”

This time, Shepard’s smile was reluctant and unsure. “You like me babbling about me?”

With a chuckle, Garrus gave her a soft “Yes.”

Shepard felt a soft tug at something within her then, something that made her eyes close and lean into him again.

“Forgive this turian,” he murmured quietly after a few seconds, “but how can I… engage in this?”

Shepard giggled, though she couldn’t blame him for struggling. How did turians show affection, anyway? “You don’t have to.”

“…And if I’d like to?” he asked quietly.

Catherine Shepard looked up to see the sheepish turian he’d ever seen. “Developing a little crush on your Commander, Vakarian?” she teased with a grin, but she scooted closer nonetheless. Without giving time for an answer, seeing as she didn’t expect one, she gently lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders before leaning into his chest, closing her eyes again. “That’s a possibility,” she explained.

Garrus was incredibly grateful she hadn’t been looking at him at that moment, and was even more grateful once he realized she didn’t wait for an answer. “It’d be nicer without the turian armor, I suppose,” he theorized quietly.

“You’d suppose correctly. Would help keep me warm too.” She felt him move, but she took his hand on her shoulder and held his palm. “I like this, though,” she murmured, unsure why she said it so quietly, her eyes still closed.

“I do too,” Garrus replied, his own eyes closing as he felt her warm his hand through his glove. His body relaxed once he head a soft hum of contentment from her, and he knew then he’d be wanting to do this much more often.

“You’re allowed to push me off my chair if you feel uncomfortable.”

“You have a way of making me comfortable. I don’t think that’ll happen.”

Shepard smiled, her legs crossing as she wrapped an arm around his torso. “Good.”

They stayed that way in silence for a while, both of them becoming more and more relaxed at the unfamiliar touch. Garrus used a thumb to gently rub her hand, and his eyes closed contentedly at this quiet moment together. After a long time together like this, he started to feel himself nodding off, so he opened his eyes and checked on the woman snuggled up to him. He laughed softly as he realized she had fallen asleep, her body slack against him.

“…Shepard,” he murmured, gently squeezing her shoulder. “Shall I take you up to bed?” he asked as he leaned into her ear.

The Commander whined softly, and Garrus couldn’t help but laugh a little again. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He gently picked her up, her body curling up against him as his arms supported her weight. “How long did I sleep for…?” Shepard asked groggily as Garrus made his way to the elevator.

“No idea,” he replied, watching her try to keep her eyes open, “but I think I may have fallen asleep too.”

“Good,” she replied with a smile, giving up on trying to keep her eyes open. Instead, she nuzzled into the part of his neck she had access to, forehead against his skin. Garrus delighted in the contact, a more familiar feeling for his turian origins, his head leaning on hers as the elevator took them to the top section of the ship. The Commander’s hand seemed to instinctively reach for the other side of his face, soft fingertips running over the turian’s scars. “I do like these, though,” she mumbled against his skin, sending a bit of a reactionary shiver through Garrus’s body.

“I’m glad to hear it,” he murmured back, walking into her private quarters now. He didn’t want to leave her, so peaceful and affectionate in his arms, but knew it’d be inappropriate if he stayed. So, he walked quietly to the other side of the room and ever so gently placed her onto her bed, eyes gazing on her as she let out another little hum.

“You’re the best, Vakarian.”

“Nothing without you, Shepard.” He heard the Commander start snoring almost instantly and laughed quietly to himself before turning away. He would have liked to stay, to watch her sleep, to get a good long look at how _tiny_ her feet were (how the hell did she run with those?), but knew that would probably be crossing some line. He didn’t want to do anything without her explicit permission. She didn’t seem to know about his… er, well, the subject of his distractions either, so it’d be even worse if he did stay.

But as he walked out, turning to look at the great and noble Commander Shepard, curled up snoring and drooling onto her pillow, he knew he’d want to be back here, with her in his arms again. Very, very soon.


	4. More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an injury, Garrus realizes he needed to solve this "crushing on your Commander" thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Phew, this is a long chapter! Enjoy some groggy Garrus time. I meant to post something earlier, but just didn't stop writing!]

Well, hell. There really was no need for this to be happening.

“I _understand_ he can’t be let back on the Flotilla this way, all I’m saying is that I need the lockdown reopened on _this_ ship so I can get him back to _my_ ship!” he heard the Commander yell, and if he weren’t in so much pain, he’d be amused by how funny she looked. This tiny human, probably yelling at the entire Flotilla by now, furious at everyone. To be honest, he was surprised they weren’t listening to her. Commander Shepard wasn’t one you wanted to piss off.

It made the broken bones and trouble breathing a little better.

“Hang in there, Garrus,” Tali called to him, her omnitool administrating some much-needed medicine. He would have comforted her in some way if he could; after a trial for treason, confirming her father’s death, and now finding out the truth behind her father’s work… Well, there would be better times for Garrus to be shot down. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a gurgle as blue liquid released into his throat. That wasn’t good. Especially not on a locked down, previously-invaded-by-geth ship.

“ _I don’t give a shit, unlock the fucking door!”_

The turian’s breathing became more and more labored, his eyesight beginning to fail. That’s when he started to worry. He faintly felt himself _floating_ , but then realized it was Shepard using her biotics to move him out of the ship. Hopefully that meant he was being taken to the MedBay; the feeling of blood filling his throat was more than just a little unpleasant.

“Hang on, Garrus,” he heard the Commander tell him. “You’re going to be fine.”

He would have tried to reassure her that he wasn’t in too much trouble medically, but he was proven wrong as he felt unconsciousness sweep over him.

~*~

Garrus Vakarian slowly woke, though his eyes didn’t open immediately. As his mind tried to break from the fog of medicine, he felt something soft against his head. A towel, it felt like, and it was quite pleasant. Something in his face must have changed at that thought, as he heard a soft voice call for him.

“Garrus?” he heard Commander Shepard murmur, and he tried to open his eyes. With an amount of effort he found frustrating, his eyes met hers, vision blurry. Despite the blurriness, he could see her eyes watching him, bright blue shining from the muted colors of a darkened MedBay. He tried to speak, but instantly felt a sharp pain pulse through his throat.

“Sorry,” he heard Shepard mumble, “you shouldn’t be talking. Took a hard hit to the neck, Garrus.”

He felt touch his cheek, fingertips slowly caressing the unscarred side of his face. “You’ve been out for a day. Dr. Chakwas says you should be back to normal in no time. I wouldn’t be surprised with how damn stubborn you are.”

He felt himself suppress a chuckle, delighted at the sound of her own laughter. He tried to clear his throat, hoping to speak, but only ended up letting out what sounded like a grunt.

“Tali’s trial went well, as well as it could after I cursed the entire Flotilla,” Shepard replied, trying to understand what he was asking. “Her charge of treason has been eradicated. She’s a free woman.”

Garrus tried to nod weakly, and she seemed to accept it. Catherine Shepard cupped his cheek, running her thumb over the tough skin. “Gave us quite a scare, Vakarian.”

He reached for her, then felt her other hand hold his. “You’re alright,” she murmured, giving his hand a squeeze. “You’re safe.” He pulled her hand, and she leaned in enough to press her forehead against his. “You’re safe,” she repeated quietly, and he reached up again to wrap an arm around her, gently holding her against him. She nuzzled his face, an appreciative hum coming from the turian underneath her. She moved slowly to slip into bed with him, closing her eyes as they lay there together.

Garrus felt back asleep then, unable to keep up with the grogginess of the medications. Faintly, just on the cusp of falling asleep, he felt lips brush against his scarred cheek, and his heart beat quickened just slightly before he fell into a deep slumber.

When Garrus woke up next, he was disappointed to find only Dr. Chakwas in the MedBay with him. He let out a sound, somewhere between the word “Doctor” and a grumble. Dr. Chakwas turned, a beaming smile pulling at her lips, and stepped towards him.

“Speaking will be a little difficult still, but you should be able to start, if you’d like to try.”

After a couple of tries, and a few unpleasant coughs to clear his throat, Garrus was finally able to ask, “How bad is it?”

“Not too bad. Your blood loss has been replenished and most of your bones have set. I still recommend bed rest, and you may want some repairs done to your armor.” She paused, looking away, and for a moment a bit of panic set into his mind. “I am slightly concerned about other things however.” She turned back to him, a blank expression on her face. “During one of my check ups on you during the night, I found the Commander with you. I would like to inform you of the dangers of interspecies relations, explicitly for physical interactions, and how to avoid or ease these. For example—“

Garrus raised a hand, cutting her off, feeling somewhat nauseous. “Please, don’t.”

“As your doctor,” she pressed, “I have to inform both of you of—“

“You’ve spoken to her about this?” he asked. Now he really did feel sick.

“Not yet,” Dr. Chakwas responded, “but I will as soon as she’s back. We can’t afford for both of you to become ill. With a few simple steps—“

“ _Not necessary_ ,” Garrus replied with a sigh.

Dr. Chakwas frowned, walking off to her medical station to collect some medicine. “If you say so.”

“…Doctor?”

She didn’t respond, coming back with another medicine to give him. “I’ve scheduled another medicine to help the bone-healing along.” She administered the liquid to him, then threw the needle away in its proper container. “You should be back to normal in a few days.”

Dr. Chakwas returned to her desk, and Garrus was left in thought. He wondered just exactly what she had seen, and what Shepard had explained to her. Maybe there was nothing to explain, since nothing was there. Not really.

He would, however, be looking up what different kisses meant to humans. Until then, that medicine was raging hell on his ability to stay awake…

After another long sleep, Garrus awoke to the sight of Commander Shepard working on a datapad with a steaming mug in her hand. He remained quiet for a moment, watching her take a sip, her hair messily held up in a bun, a few strands falling onto her face. She seemed relaxed, her legs folded and tucked underneath her, and he saw she was wearing her N7 jacket again. He was starting to become quite fond of it on her.

He watched as she looked up, eyes softening as her neutral expression turned into a relieved smile. “Hey.”

“Hi,” replied, his voice low and grumbly, glad she got up to come closer, leaving her mug and datapad behind. He kept her gaze, his hand reaching instinctively to hers. She took it naturally, slipping her fingers alongside of his.

“How are you feeling?” she asked quietly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

“Better, though I don’t think I’ve slept this much in years,” he replied, moving to the side to give her room to sit by him. It made him wince, but it was worth having her closer. “It’s odd.”

Shepard chuckled, lowering herself to sit at the edge of his bed, switching hands so she could hold his in one and reach up with the other. “How’s your neck?” she asked, gently cupping his chin to turn his head slowly.

“Healing,” he replied, comfortable with her touch. He chuckled softly, careful not to hurt himself simultaneously. “Thanks for yelling at everyone on the Flotilla for me.”

Shepard rolled her eyes, pulling away. “I understand the true concern over cross-contamination, but we weren’t _going back_ to the Flotilla with you. I just needed the damn door opened!”

Garrus couldn’t help but laugh quietly again, ignoring the pain that came with it; watching her get flustered was an amusing sight. He took the hand holding his in both of his own, cupping it within his grasp. Her hand was so _tiny_.

“I appreciate it.”

Shepard nodded, a smile on her lips. “You have got to stop getting yourself almost killed, Vakarian.”

“Yeah, I’ll get on that…”

“You’re quite cuddly,” Shepard noted with a smile. “Does dextro medicine do that to turians too?”

“…Sometimes,” he lied, or maybe it was the truth? He was enjoying how close she was being and wasn’t willing to force it to stop. “Too much?”

“Nah,” Shepard replied, her free hand now resting on his chest. “Pretty sure I fell asleep with you last night.”

“I think you did. Sorry for falling asleep on you.”

“I fell asleep on you before. We’re even now.”

“I suppose we are,” Garrus replied, watching her expression. “Have you gotten any sleep tonight?”

“No, not since last night,” Catherine Shepard replied, crossing her legs. “I’m alright for now.”

“…Did Dr. Chakwas talk to you?”

Shepard looked back at him, having been distracted for a moment. “About your condition? Of course.”

“About other things?”

“No,” she replied with confusion. “Something I need to know?”

“…She said she saw you with me last night. She seemed to presume a… relationship was flourishing. A physical one.”

Shepard blinked, her eyes widening. “That’s awkward.”

“Yeah. She… tried to give me some tips.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“…Okay.”

“Okay.”

Garrus suddenly felt very uncomfortable. But before he could say anything, Shepard leaned down to rest her head gingerly on his shoulder, some of her hair spilling onto him. He removed a hand so he could place it on her back, remaining still.

“…Am I going to break out in hives from leaning on you?”

“I hope not,” he replied, fidgeting slightly. “But your skin is so delicate…”

“It’s not too bad,” she replied while pulling away, twisting around so she could lie down as well, tucking herself between his arm and his chest. Her head rested on his arm, both hands now lying on his chest. Cramped, but she made it work. “Not as practical as yours, I guess. Am I hurting you? She said your arms should be fine.”

“No,” he replied, “you’re not hurting me.”

He placed his hand on her hip, surprised they could both fit on the gurney. He closed his eyes, feeling her warmth ease into his body. How comforting. “Much more pleasant without armor,” he murmured, relaxing as he heard her laugh.

“Correct,” she agreed, one of her thumbs idly rubbing his chest. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your hands bare either.”

“No?” he asked, his other hand to meet hers. “Must look really weird to you.”

“They’re not familiar,” she admitted, looking intently. “May I?” she asked, lifting a hand to touch his.

“Of course,” he replied quietly, watching as she then ran a soft fingertip over one of his fingers. “Had to file down my talons. Your ship didn’t really like them, and gloves don’t like them either.”

“Interesting,” she replied distractedly, her thumb now rubbing over the back part of his hand.

“Feels tough?”

“Yeah, comparatively at least. What do mine feel like to you?”

“Soft. I’m somewhat terrified I’ll hurt you.”

He heard her laugh and rubbed his thumb on her hip, as she had been doing to him previously. “ _Excuse_ you, have you seen what I’ve been through?”

He laughed too, enjoying the melodic sound of her. “I have. Maybe I should be somewhat terrified of you hurting me instead.”

“I think that would be a good idea,” she murmured back playfully, threading her fingers with his.

“Tired, Commander?” he asked, turning his head slowly to look at her directly.

She looked up at him, eyes half-closed. “A little. But I can stay up with you.”

“Did Dr. Chakwas leave for the evening?”

“She should come back in a few hours.”

“Get some sleep then,” he suggested, giving her hip a bit of a squeeze. “I’ll wake you up before she comes back.”

She smiled, nuzzling into his chest. “Need some company?”

“You look too comfortable to move. But no, I wouldn’t mind the company,” he admitted, looking towards the ceiling. “I’d rather have you here, if you’re free and comfortable.”

“Are you comfortable?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll stay.”

Garrus felt himself relax again, not realizing he had even felt tense. “…Shepard?”

“Mm?” he heard a hum of an answer.

“May I, uh, touch your hair? I heard humans like that. Do you like that?”

“Yes,” she replied, her smile hidden from his view. She undid her bun, hair loosely falling down her shoulders. “If you pull, it’ll hurt me. If you’re gentle, I’ll probably be asleep in seconds.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, and he carefully stroked her hair for the first time. This was actually his first time touching human hair at all. He didn’t know why he was surprised it was so soft; surely he should be used to that by now. It felt… fluid to him, like strands of water that solidify for a moment before slipping away. He sighed quietly, hearing her breathing slow, feeling her cuddle up closer to him. He was surprised to find himself feeling tired again, and fell asleep about at the same moment she did.

He woke up to an unpleasant feeling on his neck, and once he opened his eyes, he realized Dr. Chakwas was standing over him. Suddenly embarrassed, he was relieved to see Shepard had moved away, sitting quite gracefully on another gurney, her legs crossed and a datapad at her side.

“How long was I out?” he asked, feeling the cold medicine enter his body from the injection.

“3 hours,” Shepard replied calmly, turning her head to address Dr. Chakwas. “Should we be concerned about how much he’s sleeping?”

“No,” the doctor replied with a firmly. “The medicine should be making him more prone to add sleep cycles to his normal behavior, but we should also take into account stress levels. His tests tell me the chemicals associated with both mental and physical stress have lowered since around two weeks ago.” She turned to Garrus, a knowing look on her face. “The tests allude to something changing in your environment. Whatever it is,” she added, beginning to walk out, “it is my professional opinion that you should continue it. Not only does it suit you, but it’s also making you healthier.”

After the door had closed behind her, Garrus turned to see Shepard with her eyebrows raised, an amused look on her features. “Take up a new hobby I don’t know about, Garrus?”

“No,” he replied quietly. “I think that was around the time we started talking late at night.”

“I thought so,” Shepard admitted with a gentle smile. “I’m surprised it’s helped _you_. All I do is complain, really.”

“I like listening to what you have to say. It’s not usual for you to talk about yourself during missions. And sometimes I get to know more about your species,” he added, feeling he was probably sounding a little out of it. “…Did she walk in on us again?”

“No,” Shepard replied, standing. “I got up about 10 minutes before she came in.”

Relieved, Garrus started to get up. “Hey hey hey,” Shepard interjected, moving to keep him from anything more than sitting up with two hands on his chest. “No moving, soldier. Your body is still healing.”

“I feel fine,” he replied calmly. “I’ve been in bed for days. The guns are going to need a lot of calibrating by now. Without those online, this ship is toast.” He regretted the joke, but she seemed to dismiss it.

“EDI’s been taking care of them.”

“I’m better than EDI.”

Shepard sighed, crossing her arms under her chest. “Clear it with Chakwas first,” she replied, nodding to the kitchen where the doctor was making herself some tea. “If she says it’s fine, go at it.”

“Thanks, Shepard,” he replied, going to stand. He paused, his legs over the side of the bed, before looking over his shoulder at her. “Unless you wanted some company?” he asked quietly. “You probably need more sleep before another mission.”

Shepard raised a brow. “I’m not addicted to you yet, Vakarian,” she teased, picking up her datapad. “I’m a big girl. I can sleep on my own and everything.”

“—I didn’t mean to imply anything—“

“I know,” she replied quickly, walking to the end of his gurney. “But there’s no need to spoil me. Besides, I know you’ve had to miss calibrations.” She walked beside him, matching his slow pace. He was tempted to reach out and touch her hair again.

“Not too painful?” she asked, pulling him out of his reverie.

“No,” he replied, his gaze returning to hers. “A little sore, but that’s probably to be expected.”

They left the MedBay, and Shepard continued straight to the elevator. “Have fun, Sleeping Beauty,” she called, glancing over her shoulder with a smile before turning the corner.

He didn’t catch the joke. He’d look that up too.

“Is it alright if I work, Dr. Chakwas?” he asked, moving his arms in a circular motion to increase blood flow. “Being in bed all that time is exhausting.”

“I’ll allow it, but no missions yet,” she replied with a nod. “…Let me know if you change your mind about what we talked about, Garrus. I’m sure Mordin would have a few suggestions for you as well.”

She didn’t pause to let him answer, simply walking back to the MedBay. “Take breaks at least once an hour,” she called over her shoulder, “and come see me in 2 hours for your next dose.”

Garrus didn’t give himself time to feel embarrassed. He had been distracted before his last mission, and although he was sure his work had been fine, he was certain he could have done better. Now, after days of only EDI keeping it up, he knew the guns were going to take a lot of effort to get back to prime conditions.

It was time for him to do what he did best. Maybe that would keep him from thinking about her for too long.

~*~

Four days. It had been four days since he had last been able to share some time alone with the Commander, and it was driving him insane.

He felt damn pathetic.

He had, thank the spirits, at least gotten the guns online and fully efficient. Now that Shepard had brought in the crewmembers she wanted (and dealt with a few of their personal matters…), the time to acquire the Reaper IFF was coming close. He knew this was no time for romance, he knew it would be stupid to try to ruin the most important professional relationship he could ever imagine himself being part of…

But it wasn’t fair to her. It wasn’t fair to keep her in the dark. Did she know how much he liked holding her hand? How much he longed to touch her hair? How much he wanted to lay with her, both of them falling asleep together?

It was unfair for him not to tell her. It wouldn’t be right if she was showing affection with a completely different intention. He couldn’t simply remain quiet anymore.

So he made his way up to her cabin, determined, a box of human-friendly chocolate in his hand. He didn’t even knock, the door opening automatically as he approached, intent on saying exactly what he needed to say immediately once the door opened—

But as soon as he saw her, he stopped. She seemed to have just finished a workout, her hair slipping out of her ponytail, her skin and clothes drenched in sweat. Dressed only in shorts and a top he couldn’t name (a sports bra), he watched as she turned around with a triumphant smile, her breathing still labored.

“I took Jacob down,” she explained breathlessly, glowing with success. “I destroyed him.”

He must have looked pretty concerning, since he didn’t move or speak for a few seconds. Garrus knew he was _attracted_ to Shepard— but it was mostly because of what made Shepard _Shepard_. Her quick-working mind, her incredible power of speech, the way she spoke, the way she moved in battle, her ideals… all of those things attracted Garrus to her. But _this_ —sweaty, breathless, wild-eyed, grinning Shepard was incredibly _physically_ attractive, an attraction that seemed to slap him in the face once the door had opened. He always appreciated her form, but this… this was different. He could see the definition of her abdominals, the muscles of her arms, the toned calves. She was a damn sight to see, even his turian mind could understand that.

“Garrus?”

He realized she had walked towards him, coming up the few steps that separated the lounging area from her desk area, her eyebrows furrowing together. “Are you okay?” she asked, her gaze flickering to the box in his hands.

“Yeah,” he replied quickly, clearing his throat. “Sorry—caught me off guard. Good job taking Jacob down!”

Her smile instantly came back, her eyes bright. “Thanks! I’ve been able to win a spar against him, of course, but never this kind. He had me pinned down, his whole body on top of me, pressing down—but then I pushed him off! Out of sheer strength, no leverage!”

Garrus watched as she picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off her face. “Sorry, I was a little excited,” she panted, a grin still on her lips as she looked up at him. “What can I do you for, Garrus?”

All he wanted at that moment was to pick her up in his arms and kiss her. She seemed so excited, her eyes bright and full of happiness, the look of triumph over her features… It would have been a good moment. But he didn’t want to ruin all this energy with a possibly horrendous kiss, so he simply approached her.

“I have something to ask you,” he replied, setting the box of chocolate down on her desk. He enjoyed the wide-eyed look the sight produced. “Did I get the right kind?”

“A man after my heart,” she replied with a nod and a grin. “They’re my favorite kind from Earth.”

“Excellent,” Garrus responded, and he leaned onto her desk, eyes searching her expression. She cocked her head, watching him just as intently, eyes bright still as her breathing slowed a little.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, tossing the towel to the side before approaching him.

He reached out for her, his hands coming to hold hers. “I would like to ask you a personal question. Would that be alright?”

She nodded, and she came close enough for him to see a few thin scars running down her arms. He wished he could just watch her all day.

“I know we’re busy, Shepard. You’re probably the busiest woman in the galaxy, and proposing anything right now is most likely crazy,” he began, his hands giving hers a gentle squeeze. “But I want to be clear with you,” he continued, eyes softening. “I respect you more than anyone else in this damn galaxy. During our search for Saren… my fondness of you grew outside of what is normal for someone to have for their commander. I believe I felt we were more than superior and subordinate. We were like friends.”

Shepard watched him closely, a small smile adorning her lips, face still flushed from sparring. She intertwined their fingers, stepping closer, now standing close enough to hold. She didn’t move further or say anything, letting him continue.

“Your death… was not easy for me, Shepard. I’m sure you picked up on that pretty quickly. That means, however, that I was eager to rejoin you, despite the Cerberus affiliation. I know,” he added as he watched her begin to protest, “that you really had no choice. Which is why I joined you. I wanted to be at your side, keep an eye on you, make sure what happened before didn’t repeat itself.”

He was grateful at the openness of her expression, her eyes studying him but focused, her gaze never leaving him. He spoke his next few thoughts slowly. “But I believe my friendship has… evolved,” he admitted, a subtle hum to his subharmonics indicating nervousness. “I’ve grown to care about you. Deeply.”

Garrus paused, waiting for some kind of reaction. Her face became expressionless, though pleasant. When she didn’t say anything, he continued. “Our nights together, our conversations, and now our shows of physical affection… I’ve begun to wish for more. I’m fond of falling asleep with you at my side. I like holding your hands like this. I find myself thinking about you, all of you, anytime my work isn’t completely drowning me.”

He paused again, waiting for a response. Anything. But he didn’t get one. Her expression remained clear, and she was quiet. Uncomfortable now, his voice asked deeply, “Have I scared you?”

“No,” she replied, and her voice was quiet, her smile gentle. “I’m waiting for your point.”

“…My point is, I like you. A lot. Probably more than I should.” His brow plates came together when she still didn’t seem to react.

Her smile widened and she gave his hands a squeeze. “I understand. What I don’t know is what you’re thinking about that. Do you like that you like me? Do you despise it? Would you like to move forward, or try to cut our ties somewhat so we can remain professional?”

“Oh,” he replied lamely, nodding in understanding. She was trying to be open to him. Trust a human to want to know your feelings about your feelings. He appreciated it, in this case. “…I have a reservation at a newly established restaurant on the Citadel,” he began, relief flooding through him as her pleasant, superficial smile widened into a real one. “I have a few, actually. I thought I’d reserve multiple nights in case we couldn’t make it a couple of times.”

“So,” he continued, his voice becoming quiet, “if you’re willing, I’d like to move forward.”

“When are the reservations?” she asked, still diplomatic it seemed.

Garrus checked his visor, nervous once more. “In an hour and a half,” he replied. “There’s one for tomorrow at the same time as well.”

Shepard smiled, stepping in between his legs, and leaned down to give his scarred cheek a soft, lingering kiss. “Now you’ll have to go so I can get cleaned up,” she murmured against his skin.

Garrus felt a flood of warmth come over him, his eyes closing at the sensation of her lips. “That’s a yes?”

“That’s a yes,” she replied with a giggle, tracing one of his scars with her nose. “I was hoping you’d say something before I had to.”

He sighed at her touch, instantly feeling that need to kiss her again. “I’ve missed you,” he mumbled, squeezing her hands.

“Good,” she replied as she pulled away completely, grinning unapologetically. “Now get out,” she commanded. “I got a hot date to get ready for.”

Garrus sighed again, this time for other reasons, surprised at her reaction. “…Should I meet you on the Citadel, avoid some looks?”

“Good idea,” she replied, grabbing a fresh towel. She turned to look at him when she realized he wasn’t moving. “Out, Vakarian, I’m not undressing while you’re in here."

Garrus felt something within him stir, a slight flush of embarrassment joining the sensation, but he managed to leave without making a total fool out of himself.  "I'll see you down there."

He hadn’t thought she’d actually go for his first reservation. He couldn’t help but feel relieved, even as excitement pumped through him. He didn’t know if this would go well, if they’d make it, or if they’d even enjoy the night.

What Garrus did know, however, was that the thought of her in less clothes than what he had seen her in just now made him move very quickly.


	5. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While they both knew the night could end in disaster, Garrus and Shepard understood trying would be worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Oh man, I've been quite ill the past few days. I barely had any time to write. More updates should come soon :)]

Shepard was nothing but impressed, slowly making her way to the turian. He hadn’t caught sight of her yet, so she was taken advantage of the time. He was out of his armor, dressed incredibly smart in a turian suit, looking quite relaxed as he leaned over a railing with his gaze on the open area underneath them.

He must have heard the heels of her shoes tapping against the metal floor, as eyes traced the sound right to her, softening at the sight of her. She too had dressed well for the occasion, a dark-hued blue dress hugging at her curves, highlighting certain parts of her with ease. He felt himself wish he could touch her hair, washed and now flowing in soft waves over her shoulders, one side tied back to show the beauty of her face. He noticed her legs were bare under her dress, and he appreciated the sight.

“You,” he began, now standing straight and offering her his arm to take, “are breathtaking.”

Somewhat surprised at how smooth that had been, she took his arm with a sly smile. “You don’t clean up too bad either, Vakarian.”

“I appreciate the sentiment,” he replied, matching her pace naturally as they walked to the doors of the restaurant. “I’ve heard good things about this place; both for turians and humans.”

“I have too,” Shepard replied, feeling quite special indeed. Having a well-dressed Garrus at her arm was proving to be a lovely event. “Really good seafood, apparently.”

“Excellent,” Garrus replied, letting himself glance over at his Commander. Damn, she looked beautiful. Was her chest always like that? Maybe her armor compacted her, but she was a lot curvier than he remembered. Even her jacket and shorts from their late nights hadn’t done her body justice.

He tried to look away in time for her not to catch him, but he wasn’t fast enough. Shepard expected him to be sheepish or shy, but recognized neither of those feelings from him. He seemed much more sure of himself, and it was refreshing. When he looked back at her, eyes soft and lingering on her facial features, she couldn’t help but smile fondly. The look in his eyes reminded her of the moment. This wasn’t a usual meeting between them, formal or relaxed; this was a real date between them.

She was a little nervous, but she was going to let herself enjoy this. “See something you like, Garrus?” she asked, her voice a little deeper from her usual playful tone.

“Oh yes,” he replied honestly, gently pulling her closer. Her smile seemed to change, though not in a way he recognized. “Your beauty is not something anyone can ignore.”

Well, hell. Shepard smiled, impressed, turning her face away to hide the blush creeping onto her cheeks. She wasn’t usually so easily flattered, but that _damn voice of his_ was beginning to get to her. “You’re too kind, Vakarian,” she murmured, placing a hand on his bicep as they reached the entrance.

While he enjoyed her touch, he slipped away to allow her to walk first, opening the door for her. As she passed, he leaned down to murmur near her ear, “Not kindness if it’s a simple truth.” He grinned at the look she shot over her shoulder, relishing in her surprise. He was going to enjoy spoiling her.

He rejoined her at her side, easily slipping back to her pace, now bringing a hand to rest on her lower back as they walked up to the asari hostess. Catherine Shepard felt a bit of electricity surge through her, and she was surprised at herself. It seemed she would be surprised over and over tonight. Garrus was, of course, attractive in his own way, but she hadn’t really felt attracted to him on a purely physical way.

It seemed that was changing by the way she reacted to his hand on her back.

After a quick conversation to confirm the reservation, the two of them followed the hostess to a beautifully dressed booth, comfortable and private with a white tablecloth and even a vase tastefully decorated with fresh flowers.

After both were seated and the hostess returned to her post, the two were left in silence. Shepard crossed her legs under the table, her elbows resting on the table as she clasped her hands together and watched her date. He watched her too, admiring her expression.

He was the first to break the comfortable silence. “I didn’t expect this lighting. Reminds me of our nights together.”

“Agreed,” she replied, a smile tugging at the edge of her lips. “It’s lovely.”

Silence fell upon them again, and they wouldn’t stop staring at each other. They didn’t realize this until their server interrupted them, a quarian chiming in pleasantly, pulling them out of their silence.

After they both ordered drinks (the two exchanging looks before deciding alcohol would be acceptable to both of them), Garrus asked for recommendations from the quarian, and Shepard watched his expressions with interest. Poor man was probably sick of the surely not-incredible dextro food offered on the Normandy. He brightened, all but grinning, at one suggestion the quarian had offered.

“Your favorite?” Shepard asked, smiling again. It seemed she wouldn’t stop smiling tonight.

“Yes,” Garrus replied, shifting in his seat. He looked like an excited child, making Shepard giggle. “Haven’t found a restaurant that offered it in years.”

“And what would you like, Ma’am? While I myself cannot recommend anything for you from personal experience, I know our best sellers very well! I can also ask someone else to give you suggestions. Here is our non-dextro menu…”

And as soon as Shepard opened the delicate menu, she was in love. She hadn’t had quality seafood in years.

“See your favorite?” Garrus asked, cocking his head to the side as he watched her.

“…I wouldn’t say it’s my absolute favorite, but it would definitely make me very happy.” She grinned, looking back up at the quarian. “Do you know if the _ebi tempura_ sells well?”

“Oh yes! I have heard great things about it. I recommend pairing it with the… ah, the Japanese noodles, I believe.”

Shepard’s grin widened, and felt the need to compliment him on his service. “Very impressive. Some humans wouldn’t know to pair the two together. Thank you for your recommendation.”

“Glad I could be of service,” he responded gleefully, obviously happy he could be helpful.

Left to themselves again, Shepard locked eyes with Garrus once more, and for a moment they continued their previous silence. The Commander was the first to speak this time, though her voice was quieter than usual.

“I don’t think I’ve spent too much time relaxing on this side of the Citadel,” she said, watching Garrus. “It’s nice.”

“I haven’t either, actually,” Garrus replied, leaning in. “I’ve worked around here on patrol during my C-Sec days, but that’s about it. I’m glad you like it. …May I ask where your dates usually take place?”

Shepard giggled, resting her chin on her folded hands, propped up on her elbows. “Boring places, mostly. Someone took me to Chora’s Den for our first- and only- date.”

“That was a gutsy move,” Garrus replied, amused. “What’d you do?”

“I dumped him for one of the dancers,” she said with a wink.

“Damn, Shepard, that’s rough.” Garrus couldn’t help but laugh, his mandibles moving with the effort.

Shepard’s melodic laugh joined his, and she shrugged with a grin on her face. “I think he deserved it. He was incredibly rude to the performers.”

Garrus paused, wondering while their drinks were brought to them. After the server left, Garrus noticed, “You seem to have an interest in asari.”

“Mm, asari are easy.” She paused, her eyes widening after a moment at Garrus’s suggestive and inquisitive look. “I mean, asari tend to open up more easily. If an asari is interested, they usually don’t mind being forward about it. Or at least suggest something.” After a pause to take a sip of the red wine she had ordered, Shepard gave Garrus a knowing smile. “Turians seem to take their time.”

Garrus raised a brow plate, becoming more playful. He was relieved at the response. Sure, they had agreed on a date, but that didn’t mean Shepard was interested in him physically. It was very possible she was not.

“Didn’t exactly want to get kicked off the ship for trying to flirt with the Commander,” he replied, eyeing her reactions carefully. “You should see what she can do to a gunship.”

Shepard laughed again, quietly against the back of her hand, and Garrus felt very comfortable again. He took a sip of his own drink, just _gazing_ at her. She looked relaxed, the glimmer in her eyes bright and pretty. He couldn’t stop watching her.

Damn. He even forgot to check the place out.

“…Are you okay?” she asked, watching his eyes dart around the room, and she began to reach for the weapon she had hidden on her person.

“Yes, sorry—“ he replied, eyes laying on her face once he had a satisfying sweep of the room. “I checked this place out earlier, of course, but I always check restaurants immediately after sitting down. And before, of course.” The turian smiled, eyes softening as he watched her. “Distracted again, I suppose. I’ll work on that.”

“If it happens while we’re fighting, that’s a big problem. But here…” she suggest, her smile returning, “don’t you worry about it.”

“As long as you’re alright with it,” he replied, his eyes catching her gaze. He slowly laid an arm down onto the table, hand outstretched. “…May I hold your hand? Do humans do that in these situations?”

“Sometimes they do,” Shepard replied, not breaking their eye contact. “Only if they’re enjoying their date.” She reached down and placed her hand on his, smiling at the change of his expression.

Shepard gently ran a finger over the palm of his hand, her other hand now supporting her chin. “Not too weird for you?” he asked, eyes glancing down at their hands.

“No,” she replied with a small shake of her head. “Your body may not be familiar to me, but _you_ are. I’m enjoying being closer to you.”

“…So, you don’t mind that my skin is rougher than yours?” he asked, genuinely curious.

“Soft on soft is nice, but rough on soft is very exciting.”

Shepard paused, her fingers freezing, eyes widening as she looked away. “I didn’t just say that,” she murmured. She was damn embarrassed.

Garrus chuckled lowly, leaning in a little closer and intertwining their fingers. “It’s good to know you feel that way,” he replied, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. “Wasn’t sure if the scars were enough,” he added, watching her face again.

“The voice helped,” she replied with a wink.

There she was. Commander Shepard wasn’t known for being shy. A small hum came from his subharmonics, which seemed to delight his date. His heart raced a little when he heard her question, “Don’t mind soft on rough?”

After a short pause, Garrus gave her hand a squeeze. “I, ah, am enjoying soft.”

Shepard quirked an eyebrow, a sly grin on her lips. It seemed she had caught the change in his subharmonics. That grin was doing quite a few things to him. “I’m glad you’re enjoying soft,” she replied not breaking eye contact as the server came with their food. She leaned back, but didn’t look away. Garrus found himself entranced, not even glancing at the food placed in front of them. He watched her thank the quarian waiter, her eyes remaining on his. It felt somewhat possessive, but oddly enough, he found himself enjoying it. A little too much, actually.

“You are one gorgeous woman, Shepard,” he heard himself murmur before being able to stop himself. He was rewarded with a devastating smile, a sight that made his blood pump faster.

“Not too shabby yourself, Vakarian,” she replied, her voice deeper than usual, a sultry smile on her lips. He found this incredibly attractive, and paired with that single finger running circles over his palm… One could consider Garrus Vakarian hooked.

Shepard may have looked completely and utterly composed, but the subharmonic noises coming from Garrus was producing made sure he wasn’t the only one with a fast-beating heart. She also couldn’t help but notice the look in his eyes—something… primal, maybe? It wasn’t something she recognized in him, and it was, ah, doing things to her she wasn’t sure were appropriate.

“Garrus,” she breathed, running her fingers over his knuckles.

“Yes, Shepard?” he asked, his heart racing.

Her smile becoming sheepish tore him away from… whatever the hell was happening to him, bringing his mind back to the restaurant. “…Our food is going to get cold,” she replied, now intertwining their fingers.

Garrus knew she had to be starving, recalling of all her training today, but that only made his mind wander back to what she looked like after taking Jacob down, her body flushed and dripping sweat, the wildness in her eyes, the sultry grin… He glanced around him—then pushed the thoughts away. He wanted her to have a good date. There was no need to let himself cut it short.

“Of course,” he replied, and he was grateful that his heart began to slow.

“Do you want to leave?” she asked, more a confirmation of his wandering eyes than an offer.

“No,” he replied, turning to look at her again. “My apologies, Shepard. I believe that was the first time we’ve ever, um…”

“Flirted?” she offered, a smile tugging at her lips again.

“Yes,” he replied with a sigh.

“Bad?” Shepard asked, a trace of worry coming to her eyes.

“Good,” Garrus replied, giving her hand a squeeze before letting it slip away from hers. “Too good,” he mumbled with a chuckle, shaking his head. He glanced at his food for the first time, intent on focusing on that instead of her for a little while. “You said you didn’t have game, Shepard. I strongly disagree.”

The Commander chuckled under her breath, then picked up a pair of chopsticks. He looked back up at her to see her grinning to herself, and he couldn’t help but feel comfortable with his Commander like this. It simply… felt _right_. He watched her grin fade as she looked up at him, but it returned just as she looked away, seemingly embarrassed.

His fondness for her seemed to be growing exponentially. This woman would be the death of him.

“Shall we?” she asked, and his mind was pulled away from his reverie.

He observed she was staring at him intently and he realized he was stopping her from eating. Must have been a social queue humans had. “Please,” he said, gesturing with his hand for her to start. “I didn’t mean to keep you.”

She gleefully picked up a… _something_ and proceeded to shove it in her mouth. Garrus felt himself grinning. Despite the new experiences together, this was definitely his Commander.

He himself began to eat, and the urgency he had felt ebbed away. Now they were both intent on their food, and Garrus couldn’t help but laugh at the sounds Shepard was making.

“Shut up, Vakarian, this is incredible,” she protested, giving him a soft kick under the table with a giggle.

He outright laughed now, her grin urging him on. “No kicking your subordinates, Commander. That’s abuse.”

“That’s cute, Garrus. Didn’t you recently say you were _terrified_ of hurting me?” she asked with a teasing smirk, raising a brow as she ate a bite of the food Garrus couldn’t get a hold of mentally.

“True, but you did come back from the dead. I’m pretty certain that makes you the resilient one.”

“I’d stand by that,” she replied, satisfied. “Ah… Garrus? What are you eating?”

The turian chuckled, looking up at her. “I could ask you the same thing. I heard what it was called but I have no clue what it is.”

“…Maybe we should have a day of eating on the Citadel at different places and explaining the food.”

Garrus watched her expression as he spoke, a brightness in his eyes. “Second date?” he asked, surprised to hear so much hope in his words.

He didn’t mind the stellar smile he was gifted, despite the small feel of embarrassment. “I’d like that,” she replied. She bumped her foot gently against his leg before letting herself take a sip of her soup, a smile playing on her lips still.

The turian continued to eat his meal, but his eyes never wandered away from her for very long. He felt… lucky, maybe, to be here with her. He was honestly quite surprised at how much he was enjoying this; there had been a huge possibility of things going horribly wrong, and he had very much prepared for that scenario. This, however… This was something he could get used to.

“Garrus,” Shepard began, and he looked up from his bite intently. Curious, she asked with a smile, “What has been your favorite part of being on the Normandy?”

“You,” Garrus replied without hesitation, and he chuckled at Shepard’s surprise. “I promise I haven’t always been intent on dating you. But you were my Commander without stifling my ideas. Turians follow orders; we’ll think critically, sure, but if our superior gives us an order, we follow through.” He leaned back, watching her expression again. “You gave a balance of giving me orders and asking my opinion. You helped me on personal missions and took my advice to heart. You did that with others as well, and I admire that. You do an excellent job of listening to everyone’s thoughts, then deciding to what _you_ want to do without losing yourself. You’re a damn good leader, Shepard. Anyone could see that.”

Shepard remained still as he spoke, taking in every word. She knew her crew was fond of her, but this was something else. She leaned back, bare shoulders touching the cushion behind her, and but couldn’t find the words she wanted to say.

Garrus let out a soft chuckle, leaning in again. “Thought I’d say it was the guns?”

“Something like that,” she replied with a smile. “I didn’t expect that.”

“Clearly you don’t realize what a pleasure it is to work with you professionally,” he replied, eyes not leaving her face. “I’m finding myself enjoying what you do unprofessionally as well.”

Shepard grinned, uncrossing her legs and crossing them again, opposite legs this time. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Vakarian.”

“I’m pretty certain it got me a date.”

“I’m pretty certain it was the chocolates that won me over.” She laughed when she realized he thought she was serious and ended up shaking her head. “I’m kidding,” she added, going to take a sip of wine. After a moment, she locked eyes with him again, curiosity obvious on her features. “What made you ask, Garrus? I was almost certain you and I would never cross the line.”

Garrus paused, nodding. “I thought so too. I would have been fine with that. I realized, however, that I was missing you.” He took a sip of his own drink before continuing. “We haven’t spent time alone in days. When I realized I wanted to show affection for you in more human ways, I realized I would have to at least let you know what was going on. And then, tonight…”

Shepard’s curiosity peaked at his pause, cocking her head to the side. “What about tonight?” she asked.

“I… ah, I’ve never seen you… wearing what you were wearing.”

The Commander raised a brow, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. “Saw something you liked?”

“Yes,” Garrus admitted, not meeting her gaze.   He shifted uncomfortably at the memory of her, shaking his head. He needed a cold shower. He looked back at her, regaining some composure. “I’d rather not talk about it here.”

Shepard leaned forward, eyes searching his expression. “You look uncomfortable.”

Garrus chuckled, looking away, embarrassed again. “I liked what I saw a little too much.”

“Oh,” Shepard replied, leaning back again. He caught a hint of red coming to her cheeks, and he found it quite charming.

Garrus cleared his throat, then turned his gaze back to her. “Is that alright?” he murmured quietly. “Too much?”

Shepard looked back at him, eyes locking with his once more. She reached out a hand and he took it, getting used to the gesture. “I’m a little hesitant,” she replied quietly. “The thought of you liking me that way is… new.”

“It’s new to me too, if that’s any consolation,” he replied, giving her hand a squeeze. “Tonight was… new.”

Shepard smiled, eyes down. “Glad we’re both on the same ground.”

“…May I ask something?”

“Sure,” Shepard replied, looking back up at him. Her hand slipped away from his so she could run her fingertips over his skin.

Garrus paused for a short moment. He really liked it when she did that. “What you did at your room on the Normandy… that was a kiss, right?”

“Yes,” the raven-haired woman confirmed, smiling again.

“Why did you do that?” he asked, slightly distracted by her fingers.

Shepard ran a fingertip over his knuckles. “Was it unpleasant?”

“Not at all. Very pleasant.”

She grinned and continued. “Humans kiss quite often. From what I understand, it was some evolutionary thing— kissing helped in the exchange of DNA, allowing for someone’s body to unconsciously decide if someone was fit for mating. Or something like that.”

“So it is romantic?”

“It can be platonic or between family, but that wasn’t the case this specific instance.”

Garrus brightened up some, but didn’t answer. He took another sip of his drink. She watched closely, sensing something was wrong. “…Worried I’ll try to kiss you?”

He looked back at her, nodding once. “Not sure you’ll enjoy a kiss when I don’t have lips.”

“Lips are important, sure. But one could argue tongue is even better.”

Garrus almost spit his drink out of his mouth, her words- and now the smirk on her lips- stirred something deep within him.

Before he could reply, their waiter came to check up on them. Confident and sure, Shepard did that thing again, answering and being absolutely polite with the exception of keeping her eyes locked on Garrus. The fingers now gently running over his palm added to the sensation, and Garrus found himself getting lost again. She bit her lip and looked away, and he couldn’t help but find it incredibly attractive.

Spirits help him.

“Thank you so much,” Shepard replied to something, offering a smile to the quarian. Released from her gaze, Garrus shifted again, careful to not pull away from her touch. Damn, she was good.

He realized sometime in between their chatting they had both finished their food. “Shepard?” he called, grabbing her attention. “Are you needing to get back to the Normandy quickly?”

“Not right this minute,” she replied, eyeing him curiously. “Why?”

Garrus met her eyes, threading his fingers with hers. “I thought we could go get dessert somewhere.”

Her eyes lit up and he watched as a large smile painted her lips. “I would like that,” she replied, rubbing her thumb against his.

“Whenever you’re ready,” he replied, pleased their night wasn’t over. He didn’t want to separate. Not just yet.

“Any idea where we pay?” she asked, looking around.

“I already did, left my information with the reservation” he replied, chuckling at her expression. “I figured if the date was horrible, I could at least pay for your food without a hassle.”

Shepard laughed and shook her head. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, squeezing her hand. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” she replied, returning the squeeze before pulling away to stand. “Where are we going?” she asked, turning to him.

“It’s a surprise,” he offered, pausing for a moment to gently push her hair behind her shoulder. After a briefly shared look, the two walked out of the restaurant. The booth had kept them both separated to a point, and now walking close together, both of them seemed to be looking for ways to touch.

Garrus settled on placing a hand on Shepard’s lower back, watching her expression to make sure it was acceptable. As they walked, she let her head lean on his chest for a moment, a silent confirmation she enjoyed the touch. She sighed softly, a noise he barely picked up, and he ended up wrapping his arm around her middle. He delighted in her quiet giggle, feeling her arm wrap around him as well.

Yes, he could definitely get used to this.


	6. Why Don't You Find Out?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An enjoyable date brings out a little uncertainty from Shepard. She can't help but admit Garrus is a good date, though.

“Garrus, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“Sure it does. Listen, I’ve been training with guns for much longer than you have—“

“And  _ how _ would you know that?”

“You’ve spent time training on biotics! It’s not a bad thing, Shepard, but you couldn’t beat me at a sniper shot.”

The look in her eyes sent his heart aflutter, the deep smirk and dark look in her eyes. She leaned in, that incredible smell of her filling his nostrils. “We’ve never competed before, Garrus, but I know you very well by now. You wouldn’t be able to beat me.” She crossed her legs and her dress shifted up, giving Garrus a quite fortunate view of her thighs. Was she soft  _ everywhere _ ?

Was it hot in here, or was it just him?  _ Damn _ .

Despite how mesmerizing she was at the moment, he was able to answer quite smoothly. “Is that a challenge, Commander?” he asked, leaning in as well.

The two now were face-to-face, only inches apart. He could feel her breathing, could see her chest rise and fall with the effort, the dress exposing her upper chest oh so enticingly. And the way her hair smelled was intoxicating, even if alien. “I believe it is, Vakarian.” Shepard cocked her head, moving ever so slightly closer. Her smirk intact, Garrus had trouble concentrating.

“You’re on. Name the time and place,  _ Catherine _ ,” he replied, blue eyes capturing hers.

Her eyes widened, her smirk falling slightly before she began to grin outright. He mirrored the grin, mandibles flaring, and he would have given anything to place his hands on her. “Sure you wouldn’t be…” she placed a lock of hair behind her ear, and he swore she had placed her other hand on her outer thigh to purposefully mess with him, “…distracted?”

Oh hell. When he spoke again, his subharmonics were deep, and any other turian would have been able to tell what was happening to him. “You are  _ terrible _ ,” he replied, leaning in as much as he could without actually touching her. “Outright cruel, Shepard.”

“Well,” she began, leaning away from him as her eyes wandered off for a moment before catching his eyes again with a look that sped his heartbeat, “maybe I could make it up to you later.”

The implication was strong, if not outright obvious, and Garrus felt his body respond instantly. Even his damn pelvic plates were beginning to shift.

“Whatever you have in mind, I’m sure I’d enjoy,” he replied, leaning back and willing himself to get some kind of composure.

“I’m going to head to the restroom,” Shepard murmured as she stood. Garrus couldn’t help but hum when she ran a hand up his arm as she passed behind him, and he wasn’t able to stop himself from closing his eyes as he felt lips gently press against his scarred neck. Spirits help him. “I’ll be back,” she whispered in his ear, then slipped away from him.

He turned his head to watch her walk off, a longing filling him. He didn’t expect much from the first date, not physically anyway. This, however, was starting to make him wonder. He damn  _ shivered _ , the feeling of her kiss on his neck fresh in his mind.

He stood, picking up the empty containers from the table. The two had wandered through a few places on the Citadel, hand in hand, stopping every once in a while. Their last stop was a small dessert shop owned by a turian that offered both dextro and non-dextro items. She had ordered something chocolate and he had joined her, Garrus suggesting they ate somewhere a little private. While not enclosed, the area was removed from shops and restaurants, and no one but a few passersby had walked past them. Perks of having been a C-Sec officer.

He threw the containers away, then returned to his seat. He had thankfully calmed down, his body relaxing again. He turned his head once he heard her heels against the floor, kicking himself mentally for looking so eager. She flashed him a smile but did not touch him before taking her seat next to him. He couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.

“I hadn’t realized what time it was,” Shepard began, smiling as she propped her elbows on the table and leaning her chin on her folded hands. “It’s been hours since we left the restaurant.”

“What?” Garrus asked, bringing the time up on his visor. “…Well, damn. Should we head back?”

He smiled softly at Shepard’s long sigh. “Me too,” he murmured, extending a hand to hold one of hers. She took it, intertwining her fingers with his, and he relaxed at her touch. “I think it looks like both of us enjoyed our time together,” he began, watching her expression. “Maybe… we could do something together again?”

Shepard smiled, squeezing his hand. “I would like that,” she replied, her voice soothing to him. Garrus took the initiative, shifting so he could move his chair closer to hers. He tentatively slipped his hand away so he could wrap an arm around Shepard. He smiled at the happy sound she made, leaning her head on his shoulder. He reached his other hand and held one of hers, subharmonics humming as she held his hand in both of hers. Garrus rested his forehead against her head, closing his eyes.

“Much nicer without armor,” he mumbled against her hair.

Shepard turned her face up to look at his, and he delighted in the look in her eyes. “Much nicer,” she agreed, leaning up to press her forehead against his.

He wasn’t sure if she knew exactly what that meant when it came to turian culture, but his worries faded as she nuzzled him gently. He hummed again, subharmonics deep and low, his arm pressing her body closer. His breath hitched, his heart rate soaring as she leaned up an inch to place her lips on his mouth.

Garrus wasn’t familiar at all with kissing, but the  _ sound _ she made when she kissed him was worth it all. He matched her sound, pulling her closer, unsure what to do but damn well enjoying this. His heart was pounding hard within him, his hand slipping away from hers so he could have both of his arms around her, pulling her in. He wanted more, to hold her closer, to run his hands over that incredible body of hers—

But then she was gone, slipping away from his grasp and turning her head in a way that had her hair hide her expression. He watched, blood rushing but concern taking over, as she placed a hand on her chest.

“Sorry,” he heard her murmur. He noticed it sounded… breathless.

“Are you alright? Did I hurt you?” he had immediately moved his hands away from her. Had he done something wrong? Pressed to firmly? Had he scared her? Too much teeth?

Before he could ask anything else, she turned, her face exposed to him again. A small smile tugged at her lips, seemingly shy, but her eyes told a different story. Bright and with that wildness she had before, her lips parted, the turian’s concerns slipped away, and his hands were burning to touch her again.

“I’m fine,” she replied, and his eyes remained on her expression. She calmed slowly, the composure of Commander Shepard, Hero of the Citadel, returning. He frowned, watching her face turn somewhat cold. “We should get back,” she declared, face turning away.

“Sure,” he replied, watching her stand. He didn’t understand why, but by the way she was moving, it was clear he had done something very, very wrong. He stood as well, catching up with her quickly. He didn’t attempt to touch her again, nervous now. Was it his talons? Was he too eager? Concern flooded through him, any warmth he had before expelling. Her expression was one he knew well, the one she wore when she didn’t want anyone knowing what she was thinking. She was damn good at it, but that was an expression she wore for the Council, for The Illusive Man, for people she didn’t trust.

“Shepard,” he called quietly as they took the rapid transit back to the Normandy’s port. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she repeated, distant. She didn’t say a word during the ride or even when they walked towards the Normandy. They stood in silence as they went through decontamination, and he caught her masked expression failing. A frown tugged at her lips, and it made his heart sink.

“What did I do, Shepard?” he whispered.

She turned, her eyebrows scrunching together, a frown on her lips. “Sorry, Garrus. You did nothing wrong.”

“You’re giving me the Council face,” he replied, not moving when the decontamination process was over.

“The Council face?’” she asked, a small smile on her lips.

“No expression, no emotion. Nothing to read.”

“Oh,” she replied, starting to walk out of the small room. “I’m sorry,” she replied, turning to look at him, then seemingly changing her mind and continuing to walk out.

It was late on the Normandy’s time, so hardly anyone was around. Garrus followed her, watching as she walked slowly. He followed her into the elevator, then paused. “I must have done something wrong,” he insisted, turning to her. The doors closed, but neither of them moved.

“No, I did,” she sighed, pressing on the selection for her private quarters a little too roughly. The elevator began to move, and she took in a deep breath. “We shouldn’t have done this, Garrus,” she murmured, not looking at him.

“Wait—I didn’t hurt you physically?”

“No,” she replied. “You didn’t.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No.”

“…Did I do something right?”

He spotted a smile tugging at the corner of her lips before she willed it away. “…Yes.”

The doors opened and she walked off the elevator, but Garrus was unsure if he should follow. He took a couple of steps off, but paused once Shepard turned to speak with him. She had the mask on again, that blank expression he was beginning to very much dislike. “We shouldn’t do this, Garrus. I can’t afford to do this. If—“

She paused, and he hoped it would be acceptable that he was interrupting. “Shepard,” he began, slowly cutting some of the distance between them, “you looked…  _ happy _ . Correct me if I’m wrong— I’ll leave immediately, Shepard, I don’t mean to make things hard on you.” He sighed, a soft metallic sound slipping from him. He searched her eyes, closing their distance, his hands gently taking hers in his. “You seemed so  _ happy _ .”

Shepard let her gaze wander to their hands. “Thousands of people are being taken away by Collectors, Reapers are planning an all-out attack that could possibly destroy everything in this galaxy, the geth seem to be getting  _ stronger _ — And I spent my evening on a date.” Shepard was frowning now, her last words flat and even sounding a little angry. She looked back up at Garrus, her hands immobile in his, a hardness in her eyes. “I can’t justify this. My other dates were different— deep down I knew nothing would come out of them. But this, Garrus? This is…”

His expression fell. Garrus knew what she was feeling; she sounded like a damn turian. All work, no play. For the greater good, of course. He slipped his hands away, noting how her fingers seemed to reach for him as he pulled away, but it was only to loosely wrap his arms around her waist. “I can sympathize, Shepard,” he murmured, wanting to talk before she protested him. He wanted to be clear. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but you’re turning into a turian.” He relished in the small laugh that slipped through her lips, slightly shifting so that he could pull her closer. “I respect your feelings, Shepard. I understand; well, as much as I can without actually being you.” He raised a hand, placing it gently on her cheek. “I understand if you want to call this off. It’s okay. But if you’re doing it because you feel you’re not allowed to be happy… No one would agree with that.” He rubbed his thumb against her cheek, watching as she closed her eyes and frowned. “I know you’re a soldier. I know you’re Commander Shepard, Hero of the Citadel.” He watched her chuckle humorlessly. “You still have to  _ live _ , Shepard,” he murmured. Her eyes softened at that, her gaze returning to his. “Forgive the insubordination, but even turian soldiers have personal lives. Miserable ones, but they’re there nonetheless.”

Shepard felt his arms pull away, and she suddenly felt quite… empty. She crossed her arms loosely over her abdomen, as if trying to keep his warmth with her. She didn’t say anything as her gaze fell again, but she didn’t move away either.

“…I take it I’m a horrible kisser?”

He smiled at the small laugh he heard, the sound seeming musical to him. “No,” she replied, still not looking up. “I liked it a little too much. That was the problem.”

Garrus took a step back, watching her intently. “You were hoping a kiss would turn you off to the idea of us being together?”

She looked up, feeling childish. Shepard was currently not enjoying how good he was at reading her. “I was hoping some kind of internal alarm would go off. It didn’t.”

Garrus chuckled softly, mandibles flaring. “You fight Collectors on a daily basis. I’m pretty sure your alarms are damaged.” He took a step forward, closing the space between them a little.

“Was it gross for you? I can’t imagine it would feel good if you’re not used to it.”

Garrus scratched the back of his neck, somewhat sheepish. “I won’t lie, the kiss itself was… odd. But the, ah,  _ sound _ you made? That was nice.”

“The sound?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow. She cleared her throat, now properly crossing her arms under her chest. “I don’t remember that.”

“No?” he asked, now stepping right up to her, a playfulness in his eyes. “I’m definitely not going to forget.”

She chuckled softly, her heart beating a little faster. “You going to fantasize about me now, Garrus?” she asked, eyebrow quirked and a smirk on her lips.

There she was. Garrus wasn’t sure what she wanted now, but he was damn glad to have her old self back. No Council face, just her, demeanor relaxing. He placed an arm around her waist, his voice becoming lower. “I’d rather have the real thing.” He paused, pulling away a little. “But only if my Commander allows it.”

Shepard looked away but stepped into his embrace, a sigh on her lips. “I had a lot of fun,” she murmured, closing her eyes.

“I did too,” he mumbled back, both arms now wrapping around her. “I liked seeing you smile like that.”

She laughed softly against his chest now, her head leaning on him. “You’re good at making me relax.”

“Glad to hear it,” he murmured. Nervously, he lightly pressed his mouth to her head, mimicking a kiss as close as he could.

She grinned and looked up at him. “Good try,” she said, eyes bright.

He hummed happily, pressing his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes, a relieved sigh slipping from him. “I was afraid I lost you there,” he whispered softly. “If you want me to leave—“

“Don’t leave,” she whispered back, interrupting him. She chose her next words carefully, speaking slowly, eyes closing. “…I don’t know if I can do this, Garrus. If I can justify it all. …But, if you’d like to stay for a little while, I have some wine we could share…”

Garrus grinned, squeezing her body against his. “I’d like that a lot, Shepard.” He nuzzled her softly, grateful to have a little more time with her. “I’d like that very much.”

She hummed as she nuzzled him back, a smile playing on her lips. She felt his hand slip to her lower back, the other holding her tightly to his chest. She opened her eyes, and he saw her bottom lip quiver slightly. Heart racing, she leaned up to kiss him again, and Garrus marveled at the sound she made again. He let out a sound of his own, something that sounded like a growl to the Commander. He felt a hand reach up to his face, pulling him closer, and he couldn’t help but oblige.

He felt something rub against his mouth, taking a second to realize it was her tongue. Garrus all but grinned against her; tongue was something he could do. Another sound; a moan, he realized, and soon his temperature was rising and his pulse was racing, his own tongue stroking hers. Now  _ that _ felt good, and he couldn’t help but press her tightly up against him.

“Garrus,” he heard her murmur breathlessly against him, and he was unable to stop the growl rumbling from his chest. He pushed her, careful to not hurt her, up against the door to her chambers they hadn’t opened yet, and he delighted in the gasp from her as his mouth went to her neck. He slowly ran his tongue over the length of her neck, at times letting his mouth drag against her skin to alter the sensation.

The turian felt her hands go to his sensitive neck, fingers running over scarred tissue and against a particularly sensitive place. His hands went to her hips, his excitement making him more aggressive, eager to touch and feel. Shepard pushed him off of her, causing him to panic for a second, just to push him up against the door and going for his neck.

Garrus groaned, the sound turning into a loud moan when he felt her kissing at the sensitive place on his neck. His eyes fluttered closed, his hands grabbing at her hips again to press her up against him. He was at a loss of what to do next, but he’d be damned if he stopped what was happening. He couldn’t really think with her on his neck like that.

“Garrus?” Shepard called, nuzzling at his neck now.

“Yes?” he rasped back, willing his eyes open to look down at her.

“Should we go inside?” she asked, a small smile on her lips.

Garrus nodded, and although he felt a little weak at the moment, he impulsively picked her up into his arms, bridal style.

“—Why?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck, a grin coming to her lips.

“…I’m not quite sure,” he responded, getting the door opened and walking into her room. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Too much?”

“It’s cute,” she responded against his ear, and it sent a shiver down his spine. Naturally, she felt it, and she laughed softly into his neck. “Eager, Garrus?” she murmured, a hand on the other side of his neck running soft fingertips over his skin.

“Yes,” he admitted, finally reaching the bed. “Is that okay?” he breathed, subharmonics humming.

“Yes,” she replied simply, and he could feel her smile press against his neck.

He stood at the foot of her bed. Now that he was pretty certain they were about to be… intimate, he wasn’t sure what to do next. Throwing her on the bed didn’t sound romantic, neither did just dropping her, and what was she expecting him to do once she was on the bed—?

Noting his sudden discomfort, she nuzzled his cheek. “Sit down; I must be getting heavy.”

“You’re incredibly light, comparatively,” he replied, turning so he could sit at the edge of her bed. He was pleased that she didn’t move away, her head resting on his shoulder as she looked up at him.

“Comparatively?”

“You’re not in armor. And human bodies seem to be not as heavy overall compared to turians.” He leaned in and left a kiss on her temple, smiling as she hummed.

“Getting used to kisses?” she asked, her lips gently brushing against his mouth as she spoke. The feeling was feather-light, but damn he enjoyed it. He let himself put a little more pressure, deepening the kiss as he held her body close to his. He felt her smile against him, and he loved the feeling. He kissed her slowly, gently letting his tongue slip against her smile. He felt her relax in his arms, her hand coming to the back of his head, bringing him closer to deepen the kiss.

He felt her begin to shift, and his hands came to her waist. He began to pull away, thinking she was trying to leave, but then groaned against her mouth once she had turned to sit on his lap, facing him. Garrus rubbed his hands over her back, but then he realized he now had access to her  _ legs _ .

He very begrudgingly slowed their kiss to a stop. “Ah, Shepard?”

“Mmm?” she hummed, eyes opening. His heart skipped once he looked at her, the wildness in her eyes having returned. Spirits, did he love that look in her eyes. He couldn’t help it; he kissed her again with as much force as he could, and he could feel himself starting to lose himself in the kiss. He could feel the electricity running between them, his need for her growing with every second.

Garrus groaned when she pulled away, his hands grabbing at her sides. She giggled against him, her hands moving to rest on his cheeks. “You wanted to ask something?”

“Ah,” Garrus panted lightly, his eyes nervous, “can I, um… Is it okay if I touch your legs?”

Shepard laughed and nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck now. “I have them folded under me; want me to move?”

“Not if it gets you off my lap.”

She giggled, unused to this kind of attention. The hunger in his eyes was incredibly flattering, considering he seemed to have never done this before with a human. “I can move so that they’re extended to the bed, but it puts more weight on your lap.”

Garrus sighed longingly, moving to nuzzle her neck. “I’d enjoy that quite a bit.” He kissed at her neck softly, slowly, hands rubbing up and down her sides now. She moaned faintly, her back arching slightly at the touch, eyes fluttering closed. He growled lowly as an answer, a hand coming to oh so gently tilt her head back. Garrus let his teeth very lightly run over her skin, groaning when he felt her hands clutch at him, a long moan escaping her.

Spirits save him.

His plates shifted, his arousal becoming quite clear. Having her like this, sitting on his lap, eyes closed, head tilted back, a light sheen of sweat on her chest—well, it was having a very strong effect on him. He wanted her. Badly.

A hand strayed to her thigh, fingers running down her leg before slipping up again, pausing at the edge of her dress. “Oh,” she breathed, eyes opening to look down at him. She smiled sheepishly, shifting in place. “Sorry—you were incredibly distracting.”

Garrus answered with a kiss, pulling her against him again, unwilling to let her stray far from him now. As she moved to unfold her legs, he received a light grind of her hips against his, and even he was surprised by how deep and loud his moan of pleasure was. He heard her gasp, and his hands slipped to under her thighs to pull her body up against his, another moan escaping him at the feeling of her warmth on him.

“Too much?” he panted against her neck, realizing what he had done.

“ _ Garrus _ ,” she breathed, and he felt her hips grind against his again.

And that was it. He stood abruptly, his arms under her bottom to secure her in place. She yelped, legs wrapping around him, eyes wide. “What—?”

He turned and quickly dropped onto the bed, Shepard falling with him, finding herself underneath him. Before she hit her sheets, his arms had come to protect her from the fall, but as soon as he realized she was alright, his mouth was on her neck again. She hadn’t unwrapped her legs from around his hips, and he took advantage of that. His hand slipped over her left side, down her hip, and over her outer thigh. She gave him a squeeze with her legs, and Garrus in turn thrust his hips against hers. He was awarded a deep moan and hands clutching at his shoulders.

By this time, the turian’s body had released his cock from its sheath. Shepard could now feel him against her, and damn was she eager herself now. Her legs pulled Garrus closer, her hands coming to move his face so she could kiss him again. They moaned against each other’s mouths, his hand gripping at her upper thigh.

He felt a hand at his shirt, slipping under the material. He tensed for a moment and she paused, but he deepened the kiss in hopes to encourage her again. She slipped both hands under his shirt now, slowly letting her fingertips run over his skin. He groaned against her again, excited. Garrus took her tongue into his mouth, massaging her gently, both hands now rubbing at her thighs.

Shepard tugged at his shirt and he got the message. He leaned back slightly, just enough to give him the space to remove his shirt. He watched her then, eyes scanning her body. She looked messy; her hair had fanned out over the bed, her dress had slipped up to just cover the very top of her thighs, her lips were swollen, her chest was rising and falling from breathlessness. A slight blush remained on her face, and the wild look in her eyes locked his gaze.

“Have I gushed to you about how beautiful you are yet?” he murmured, his breath trying to return to normal.

He watched her laugh, blue eyes closing. This was definitely the Shepard he wanted to spend time with. Happy, relaxed, and… possibly aroused? Garrus hoped so.

He slipped his shirt off, tossing it to the side. “Shepard?”

“Mm?” she hummed, her eyes peeling away from his chest to look him in the eye.

He leaned down to press his forehead against hers, eyes closing. “Thank you for inviting me to stay.”

He smiled at her chuckle, her arms wrapping around his neck again. “I honestly didn’t think we’d be in bed, getting undressed. Not tonight, at least.”

“I didn’t either.” He paused, pulling away so he could lock his gaze with hers. “Is this okay?”

She nodded with that beautiful smile on her lips, the one that made his heart flutter. “I’m enjoying myself.”

Garrus nuzzled her cheek, a hand coming to her side. “Me too,” he murmured against her skin. “If it’s okay with you, could I possibly...?”

She grinned. “Dress?”

“Yes, please. –Only if you’re comfortable, of course.”

She leaned up, her hands going to lift the hem of her dress, but Garrus interrupted her by placing a hand on hers. “—Ah, sorry. Would it be alright if… if I did…”

Shepard cocked an eyebrow, her grin widening. “I think I’d enjoy that.”

Garrus smiled, repositioning himself a little lower. “…Stop me if I do something bad?”

“Will do,” she replied, curious. She watched as he leaned down, his eyes on her bare legs. “…What are you up to?”

He looked back up at her, sheepish, mandibles flaring. “I want to know what you feel like. And humans, explicitly you, like kisses, don’t they?”

“…Yes?”

“Stop me anytime.”

He leaned down further, spreading her legs a little. She squirmed slightly, feeling exposed, but her complaint didn’t make it out of her lips. Garrus had taken to kissing the inside of her lower thigh, right by the knee, and he seemed to be going upwards. His hand was also distracting, resting at the top of her other thigh with his thumb rubbing her inner thigh. She groaned softly, her head dropping against her sheets, eyes closing.

“Good?”

“Ah—if the goal is to get me to want you desperately, then yes. Continue.”

Garrus grinned, then did as he was told. He began incorporating his tongue into the kisses, softly running it over his skin. He slowly made his way upwards, taking his damn time, switching between kissing, nipping, nuzzling, and licking. Prompted by her noises, his other hand had now traveled up her inner thigh, working her over.

It was driving her crazy.

By the time he made it to her hip, she was embarrassed by how often she had been moaning, and was clutching at the sheets. He slipped her dress up further, revealing lacy red underwear. “Nice choice,” he grumbled against her skin, nuzzling her side now.

“You like them?” she asked, and she couldn’t hide the arousal from her voice.

Garrus blinked, catching the tone of her voice, and looked up at her. He grinned, excited. “I do. Am I doing something right?”

“Not sure if driving your Commander crazy is a good idea,” she murmured, placing a hand over her face, palm up.

“Good crazy or bad crazy?”

“…Good crazy.”

“There was a pause.”

“I was considering whether  _ aching _ is a good thing.”

“Aching sounds painful,” he replied, moving so he could slip up next to her, leaving her dress where it was above her hips.

She giggled. “I’m just becoming impatient.” She removed her hand, grinning down at him. “A+, Vakarian. Consider me very turned on.”

Garrus grinned back, leaning up to nuzzle at her neck. “…Want some more?”

Shepard laughed, turning her body to rest on her side, facing him now. He placed a hand on her side, now exposed from under her dress, rubbing at her body. “Garrus,” she whined, and he chuckled at her. “You’re making it too easy to be selfish.”

“You don’t think I’m enjoying this?” he asked, leaning in for a deep kiss. He felt her hum against his lips and brought her closer, their bodies coming together in a tangle of limbs. The earlier exchange had left her needy, and Garrus could now feel a new desperation in her kisses. He groaned and went to climb back on top of her, but was stopped.

“You’ve had some fun, Garrus,” he heard an enticing whisper in his ear. “Let me have some too.”

Shepard pushed him down onto the bed, climbing on top of Garrus, her legs straddling him now. She could feel him against her, long and full, and she grinned at the low moan that escaped him.

“ _ Spirits _ , Shepard—“

She didn’t let him grab her, as his hands seemed to come up to do. Instead, she took his hands and intertwined their fingers, palm to palm. He opened his eyes just in time, watching as she slowly let her hips grind against him. He groaned again, breathless, feeling her move right against his cock. He squeezed her hands, unable to look away as she now moved in a circular motion, throwing her head back as it pleasured her too.

His hips bucked up into hers, an enticing sound coming from her lips that made him move more aggressively. She gasped, half a laugh, as he brought his hips up to hers rhythmically. Her head tilted forward again as she felt him lean up, quirking a brow.

“Forgive me, but you interrupted me.” Now his voice was the one drenched in arousal, both of them now heated and more than ready. She decided whatever he was going to do didn’t warrant her to stop moving, so she continued the rolling of her hips. She was awarded a low growl, her hands becoming free as he slipped his own away to get to her dress.

“I am a little overdressed, don’t you think?” she teased, wiggling in his lap.

“Indeed,” he replied, too far gone now to banter. He was going to get to see her, half-dressed and sweaty and excited like before, and he couldn’t get himself to stop thinking about it. He nipped at her neck again as he pulled her dress up, careful with both actions, sighing at the sound she made. He leaned back slightly and watched as the dress came over her head and completely off. His eyes immediately went to her breasts, foreign to him. Whatever she was wearing on them, they seemed to be the same exact material as what covered her lower area, lacy with intricate designs. He realized he was staring and not acting, and looked up.

“Sorry,” he murmured sheepishly, seeing her eyeing him. “I… ah…”

“Too alien?” she asked, black hair falling in waves over her shoulders. Her blue eyes, darkened from before, watched him closely. As much as she was very much wanting to continue, she didn’t want to push him.

“Alien,” he agreed, “but very attractive. I just… don’t know what to do.” He looked at her, both at the same height now with her on his lap. “But I don’t want to stop. I want to make you feel good.”

She smiled softly, leaning in to press her lips against his mouth again. He hummed, instinct taking over, running his hands over her back. That was safe, right? He felt her sigh against him and her hands running over his chest, a rumble coming from him. He felt her roll her hips against him again, and he outright moaned into her, hands traveling to her ass and giving her a hard squeeze.

She giggled at that, enjoying the attention, her chest now pressing up against him. She liked him eager. She wanted him to be eager. She rolled her hips again, her lips moving to that spot on his neck he seemed to like. She was rewarded with a long groan, his head tilting back for her. She hummed against his skin, her tongue lightly teasing at that spot, feeling herself groan when he squeezed her ass again while rolling his hips against her.

While Garrus was absolutely enjoying all of this, he wanted a little more. With her wanting, of course. He moved her down, back on her back with him on top of her once more. He didn’t speak, his mouth moving to her neck again. This time, however, he let himself move down, nuzzling the valley between her breasts. He was relieved to hear her giggle, his hands going to her thighs again. She seemed to like that very much.

While giving both her outer thighs a squeeze, he ran his tongue between her breasts, then kissed one of the inner sides. He lapped once at the skin, groaning at how she then arched her back, her chest becoming even more prominent. One of his hands slid inward on her thigh while the other traveled up, cupping the breast he wasn’t currently kissing. He heard his beloved Commander moan his name, and he wanted her. Badly.

“Shepard,” he groaned, though it sounded a little like he was begging. “I’d like… I would….”

“Uh-huh,” she murmured breathlessly, a smile playing at her lips. He heard it in her voice, so he looked up, shaking his head at the grin that inevitably formed on her lips.

“You’re killing me,” he groaned, coming up to kiss her again. He moaned, bucking into her as he felt her hand on his arousal. He outright humped her hand a few times, unable to stop himself as she chuckled.

“—And you’re cruel,” he gasped against her neck now, feeling her rub up and down his length.

“Cruel?” she asked playfully, giving him a squeeze. She laughed softly at his eager rolling of his hips, trying to find more friction.

“Cruel,” he murmured against her ear, now moving a hand to cup her center over her underwear. He delighted in her gasp, watching the smile fade and turn into something else. He nibbled at her ear, gently, running his tongue softly over the reddened area, slowly moving his hand so a finger traced a trail over her mound. He felt her wiggle against him, her hand now becoming more focused in its movements.

“I can hear your reaction,” he murmured in her ear, “but I’d enjoy some verbal cues on what you like.” He nuzzled her ear, breathless from her ministrations. He gasped softly again, feeling her fingers wrap around him through his pants. “That’s… that’s  _ good. _ ”

She grinned, pumping him, enjoying his reactions thoroughly. “At first, light pressure does wonders,” she murmured into his ear, now removing her hand to send a single finger from his base to his tip through his pants. She felt him shift his pelvis to her, one of his fingers coming to rub over her gently. She sighed softly, her eyes closing as she continued, “Then, once I’m warmed up, I like a little more…” She rubbed the pad of her finger over his tip, groaning when she felt his own finger rub at her.

He nuzzled her, sighing himself. “…you feel… different from earlier? Damp?” She laughed softly, humming as his finger became a little more insistent, her own finger rubbing more as well. “Human females self-lubricate when aroused.”

Garrus froze for a second, then pulled back slightly to be able to look at her. “…So, underneath this…” he began, slipping a finger now just under the top of her underwear, “you’re… slippery.”

Shepard grinned, eyes dark and wild again, sending his heart pounding hard again. He shuddered when she pressed her top half up against him, her hand now wrapping around him again, her lips almost touching his mouth as she stared him down. “Why don’t you find out?”

_ Sprits help him. _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I took a while. Life gets in the way, but the next one is in the works already. Thank you so much for reading!


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